U.S.: Detainee Begged For Death

[shraby]

(CBS/AP) Three U.S. soldiers will testify that a former CIA contractor beat an Afghan detainee with a heavy flashlight 10 to 30 times and kicked the man so hard he came off the ground and later begged to be shot, a prosecutor said Friday.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Candelmo described the alleged assault in arguing that the contractor, David Passaro, should be detained until his trial. He is the first American to face civilian charges over prisoner abuse in either Iraq or Afghanistan.

Defense attorneys asked that Passaro be released into the custody of a neighbor, a Special Operations soldier at Fort Bragg. No ruling was immediately issued.

Passaro, 38, faces four counts of assault and assault with a dangerous weapon — the flashlight — on Abdul Wali, 28, who died three days after the alleged attack last June at a U.S. base in the Afghan town of Asadabad.

(more)

<http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/04/30/iraq/main614905.shtml>

[coloradodem2005]

1. This is sick.

On so many levels.

[Robbien]

2. And they want the torturer released and put back on the streets

Yes, very sick.

[struggle4progress]

3. And nobody stopped him? eom

[Solon]

4. I find it telling that they want him released to a...

Special Operations soldier from Fort Bragg(Most likely an American Terrorist), I guess so they could flee to a non-extradition country.

[Disturbed]

5. He did this on his own?

No one ordered him to do this? No one tried to stop him?

This story sound fishy.

[Hubert Flottz]

6. Why is he not being charged with murder 1?

Was the Iraqi not a human?