Milkhouse Mouse: Iranian Diplomat Tells BBC US Embassy In Iraq Coordinated His Kidnapping, Torture

Sunday, April 15

Iranian Diplomat Tells BBC US Embassy In Iraq Coordinated His Kidnapping, Torture

The Amerikan media's blackout of the U.S. State Department's coordination of the kidnapping and torture of six Iranian diplomats since January continues.

Frances Harrison, the BBC's correspondent in Tehran, filed this story on 11 April detailing the torture U.S. officials sanctioned during two months of interrogation of Iranian diplomat Jalal Sharafi, the second secretary of Iran's Embassy in Baghad kidnapped in February by U.S. troops.

Iran's Press TV reported the next day that "White House national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe told reporters" that the White House refused to release other Iranian diplomats U.S. forces also forcibly abducted a month before Sharafi.

"US troops stormed into Iran's Consulate in Irbil in January and abducted five Iranian diplomats. Iran has so far been denied access to the diplomats and its pleas on international organizations to that effect have not been answered.

[...]

On 11 April, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) acknowledged that [Sharafi] had been subjected to torture while in custody."

Press TV followed that report up on Friday (13 April) with disturbing details on the extent of Sharafi's injuries while in U.S. custody.

According to [one physician attending Sharafi, Dr. Ali-Reza] Hosseini, a thorough medical examination shows scars and deep wounds on Sharafi's head, nose, ear, and dark bruises on his back which are clear indicators that he was severely beaten in those areas.

According to Sharafi's personal physician, the sudden weight loss the Iranian diplomat experienced is a sign that his body was under constant and severe pressure.

Doctor Hosseini revealed that Sharafi suffered from intestinal bleeding as a result of the severe blows he suffered on his sides and stomach.

Meanwhile, Sharafi's psychiatrist stated that his patient is a true victim of "intense psychological torture."

According to Doctor Ali Sharifi, unlike a normal prisoner who knows the identity of his captors and what he is up against, the Iranian diplomat was never charged with any crime and was completely left in the dark regarding his fate which all mounts up to psychological torture.

On 18 January, the BBC reported Iran's claim that U.S. troops kidnapped five consulate officials, an act condemned by Iraq's Shia political leadership. According to the report

Iran said the building [from where U.S. troops kidnapped the Iranians] was a consulate, but the US disagreed, saying it had no official diplomatic immunity, and nor did the men.

All of this--the kidnappings, torture, blatant provocation of war and US media blackout--makes me so very proud in being an Amerikan, synonymous in the post-9/11 global community with jack-booted fascism.

# posted by Moose Kateer : 4:42 PM