Abdul Wahid (Bagram captive)

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Abdul Wahid was a citizen of Afghanistan whose autopsy was held in the United States's Bagram Theater detention facility.[1][2][3][4] He was beaten to death on November 6, 2003.[3][5][6]

Main article: Bagram torture and prisoner abuse

Army pathologist Colonel Kathleen Ingwersen concluded his death was a homicide.[3][4] She wrote on his death certificate that he died from: "Multiple blunt force injuries complicated by probable rhabdomyolysis [extensive crush injuries of the muscles]." [7]

Abdul Wahid's cousin Abdul Haleem reported that he was also apprehended, and tortured, on November 3, 2003.[5][6] He and Abdul Wahid's father attributed the abuse to Afghan soldiers, but said American soldiers were aware of the abuse, and didn't intervene.

Abdul Wahid's father said he his heavily scarred body was returned to his family two months after his capture, together with a letter from US authorities.[6] According to the Associated Press:

He said the letter — which a local doctor translated for him — expressed regret over the death but said Wahid had died before the United States had "got him." The U.S. military could not verify this information.

Human Rights worker John Sifton, of Human Rights Watch, told the Associated Press that corrupt security officials in Afghanistan routinely captured men, and threatened to hand them over to the US in return for a bounty, unless they paid a bribe.[6]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "9 U.S. prison deaths probed as homicides", USA Today, May 23, 2004. Retrieved on 2007-09-13. 
  2. ^ "Pentagon details prison deaths", CNN, May 22, 2004. Retrieved on 2007-09-13. 
  3. ^ a b c Medical Investigations of Homicides of Prisoners of War in Iraq and Afghanistan. Medscape. Retrieved on 2007-09-13.
  4. ^ a b Afghanistan: Impunity for Systematic Abuse. Human Rights Watch. Retrieved on 2007-09-13.
  5. ^ a b Stephen Graham. "U.S. military investigating new allegation of prisoner abuse in Afghanistan", San Diego Union Tribune, July 4, 2004. Retrieved on 2007-09-14. 
  6. ^ a b c d Noor Khan. "Abuse by Afghan militias reported", Seattle Post Intelligencer, July 5, 2004. Retrieved on 2007-09-14. 
  7. ^ Autopsy report. American Civil Liberties Union. Retrieved on 2007-09-13.