U.S. vows to improve Afghan military prisons

[seemslikeadream]

Stephen Graham, Associated Press
June 15, 2004 AFGH0615




KABUL, AFGHANISTAN -- The U.S. military promised Monday to improve its prisons in Afghanistan after a top general inspected the network of 20 jails, where allegations of abuse include the deaths of at least three detainees.

The military refused to say how procedures will be changed at the jails -- amid charges from former prisoners of hoodings, beatings and sexual abuse. But a spokesman promised that "comprehensive" information on the general's findings will be made public within weeks.

Lt. Gen. David Barno, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, ordered the prison review last month. He pledged rapid action if faults are found but said details of techniques used on suspects will remain classified.

Brig. Gen. Charles Jacoby, Barno's deputy operational chief, visited all the U.S. holding facilities, most of them at bases in the south and east where U.S. troops are still battling -- and detaining -- Taliban and Al-Qaida holdouts.

Of the three confirmed detainee deaths in Afghanistan, two were at the main U.S. base at Bagram, north of Kabul, in December 2002. Both were ruled homicides after autopsies found the men had died from "blunt-force injuries."

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