Gitmo officer: Reports on torure at facility are bogus, 'twisted'
Monday, September 21, 2009 E-Mail this story Free Headline Alerts
Geostrategy-Direct.com
Army Col. Bruce Vargo, commander of the Joint Detention Group, Joint Task Force Ñ Guantanamo, told the Arabic newspaper Al-Hayah that reports of torture at the prison facility were false.
ÒTo my knowledge and according to the published reports and investigations conducted by the army with its personnel, it was found out that nothing that you mention [torture and abuse] occurred, Vargo said in an interview published Sept. 4. ÒMany have talked about the method of water boarding when nothing of the sort happened here. But the way that the media talks about usÉ how shall I put it tactfully? It is twisted and inaccurate.Ó
Vargo also said reports of detainees becoming psychologically unbalanced at Guantanamo were false. ÒIn fact, we did not see anyone losing his mind.Ó
Vargo explained that the false information was spread by terrorists and their sympathizers around the world.
ÒThese people are trained to lie and they have the ability to make their voices heard whereas we have remained silent,Ó Vargo said.
Vargo said an Al Qaida manual called the Manchester Document teaches members of the terrorist group how to behave and what to say when captured.
ÒClaims that they have been tortured or that information is taken from them by force are some of these claims,Ó he said. ÒFor some reason, we have failed to focus on this document in the media. We have not conveyed our voice and the information we have properly and the scales of the media tilted in their favor.Ó
The document also tells captured terrorists to commit suicide to prevent giving up information.