Excerpts from writings of accused soldier who helped run Baghdad prison

Friday April 30, 2004 -- After an investigation into problems at a Baghdad prison run by the U.S. military began, Maryland-based soldier Ivan ``Chip'' Frederick wrote an account of how the prison he helped run treated inmates. The writings were given to The Associated Press on Thursday by the soldier's uncle:

''I questioned some of the things that I saw ... such things as leaving inmates in their cell with no clothes or in females' underpants, handcuffing them to the door of their cell. I questioned this and the answer I got was, 'This is how military intelligence (MI) wants it done.' MI didn't want any of the inmates talking to each other. This is what happened when they were caught talking.''

''Prisoners were forced to live in damp, cool cells. MI has also instructed us to place a prisoner in an isolation cell with little or no clothes, no toilet or running water, no ventilation or window for as much as three days.''

''Prisoners have a mosque at the facility but are not allowed the privilege to go to it. Prisoners do not have a minister at the facility.''

"I have had training dealing with convicted felons of the U.S. I have never had any training dealing with POWs, civilian internees or detained persons.''

''Brigade should have had rules and regulations and the Geneva Convention in the establishment from the beginning.''

''A prisoner with a clearly visible mental condition was shot with nonlethal rounds for standing near the fence singing.''

Frederick also wrote e-mails to his sister, Marian, including one on Dec. 18:

''It is very interesting to watch them interrogate these people. I have made some really close friends. They usually don't allow others to watch them interrogate, but since they like the way I run the prison, they make an exception. ... We have had a very high rate with our style of getting them to break. They usually end up breaking within hours.''


Source: Reuters - April 30, 2004