Richard L. Armitage former director of CACI guits to join Bush team
Civilian accused of killing ‘doing fine job’
MICHAEL SETTLE, Chief Political Correspondent May 06 2004
Executives from Virginia-based CACI International complained that they had still not been informed by their client, the US defence department, that their employee, working for the CIA as an interrogator, was involved in the abuse of inmates at Abu Ghraib jail near Baghdad.
Jack London, CACI president, said: "The fact remains we are simply not able to confirm in any fashion any CACI employee was involved in the abuse at Abu Ghraib prison."
Ken Johnson, the company's president of US operations, added: "The employee questioned is still on the site and still performing the duties there and, by all accounts from our understanding, is doing a damn fine job."
It has been suggested the CIA contractor could escape any prosecution because US Army jurisdiction does not extend to American private contractors in Iraq.
http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/15501.html Contractors act as interrogators
Control: The Pentagon's hiring of civilians to question prisoners raises accountability issues.
Founded in 1962 as a small consulting firm, CACI now has more than $1 billion in annual revenue. It specializes in information technology but also has branched into every corner of the Defense Department to become "essentially an odd-jobs provider for the federal government," according to Tim Quillin, an analyst for the investment banking firm Stephens Inc.
More than 90 percent of CACI's business comes from its main customer - the Pentagon - and other federal agencies, according to reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Among the company's former directors is Richard L. Armitage, who resigned in 2001 to accept an appointment from President Bush as deputy secretary of state.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bal-te.contractors04ma... ...
But these soldiers aren’t simply mavericks. Some accused claim they acted on the orders of military intelligence and the CIA, and that some of the torture sessions were under the control of mercenaries hired by the US to conduct interrogations. Two “civilian contract” organisations taking part in interrogations at Abu Ghraib are linked to the Bush administration.
California-based Titan Corporation says it is “a leading provider of solutions and services for national security”. Between 2003-04, it gave nearly $40,000 to George W Bush’s Republican Party. Titan supplied translators to the military.
CACI International Inc. describes its aim as helping “America’s intelligence community in the war on terrorism”. Richard Armitage, the current deputy US secretary of state, sat on CACI’s board.
No civilians, however, are facing charges as military law does not apply to them. Colonel Jill Morgenthaler, from CentCom, said that one civilian contractor was accused along with six soldiers of mistreating prisoners. However, it was left to the contractor to “deal with him”. One civilian interrogator told army investigators that he had “unintentionally” broken several tables during interrogations as he was trying to “fear-up” detainees.
Lawyers for some accused say their clients are scapegoats for a rogue prison system, which allowed mercenaries to give orders to serving soldiers. A military report said private contractors were at times supervising the interrogations.
Kimmitt said: “I hope the investigation is including not only the people who committed the crimes, but some of the people who might have encouraged the crimes as well because they certainly share some responsibility.”
Last night, CACI vice-president Jody Brown said: “The company supports the Army’s investigation and acknowledges that CACI personnel in Iraq volunteered to be interviewed by army officials in connection with the investigation. The company has received no indication that any CACI employee was involved in any alleged improper conduct with Iraqi prisoners. Nonetheless, CACI has initiated an independent investigation.”
However, military investigators said: “A CACI investigator’s contract was terminated because he allowed and/or instructed military police officers who were not trained in interrogation techniques to facilitate interrogations which were neither authorised nor in accordance with regulations.”
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