By James Vicini
(Reuters)
WASHINGTON -- A CIA contractor was arrested on Thursday for brutally beating a detainee who died at a U.S. military base in Afghanistan, the first charges against a civilian in the current scandal over U.S. overseas prisoner abuse, officials said.
David Passaro, 38, a former Army Ranger who worked as a contractor for the CIA, was charged in a four-count indictment in the first case by the Justice Department since questions arose over mistreatment of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Passaro was accused of using his hands, feet and a large flashlight to beat an Afghan detainee during interrogations in 2003 at the base near the town of Asadabad close to the Pakistan border.
The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury in North Carolina, charged Passaro with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm and two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
He could face up to 40 years in prison and $1 million in fines if convicted.
"The United States will not tolerate criminal acts of brutality such as those alleged in this indictment," Attorney General John Ashcroft told a news conference.
"Those who are responsible for criminal acts will be investigated and prosecuted, and of course, if found guilty, punished," he said.
Passaro interrogated Abdul Wali, who had voluntarily surrendered and had been placed in a cell at the base, for two days about rocket attacks on the base, the indictment said.
Wali, who had been suspected of taking part in the attacks, died in his cell on June 21, 2003.
Rejects Link to Memo
When asked if a 2002 U.S. Justice Department memo about torture of terror suspects during interrogations might have set the tone for such a beating, Ashcroft replied, "Absolutely not."
Passaro, who now works at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina, was arrested on Thursday morning by U.S. law enforcement officials in North Carolina.
The case was referred to the Justice Department by the CIA last fall, Ashcroft said. It had been investigated by the CIA's office of inspector general.
"We take allegations of wrongdoing very seriously," CIA spokesman Mark Mansfield said. "The CIA does not support or condone unlawful activities of any sort and has an obligation to report possible violations of the law to the appropriate authorities."
Regarding other claims of prisoner abuse in Iraq or Afghanistan, Ashcroft said there has been a referral from the Department of Defense and additional referrals from the CIA. He gave no details.
He said the cases have been assigned to a special team of prosecutors in Virginia, where the CIA and Defense Department are based.
(Reuters)
WASHINGTON -- A CIA contractor was arrested on Thursday for brutally beating a detainee who died at a U.S. military base in Afghanistan, the first charges against a civilian in the current scandal over U.S. overseas prisoner abuse, officials said.
David Passaro, 38, a former Army Ranger who worked as a contractor for the CIA, was charged in a four-count indictment in the first case by the Justice Department since questions arose over mistreatment of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Passaro was accused of using his hands, feet and a large flashlight to beat an Afghan detainee during interrogations in 2003 at the base near the town of Asadabad close to the Pakistan border.
The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury in North Carolina, charged Passaro with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm and two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
He could face up to 40 years in prison and $1 million in fines if convicted.
"The United States will not tolerate criminal acts of brutality such as those alleged in this indictment," Attorney General John Ashcroft told a news conference.
"Those who are responsible for criminal acts will be investigated and prosecuted, and of course, if found guilty, punished," he said.
Passaro interrogated Abdul Wali, who had voluntarily surrendered and had been placed in a cell at the base, for two days about rocket attacks on the base, the indictment said.
Wali, who had been suspected of taking part in the attacks, died in his cell on June 21, 2003.
Rejects Link to Memo
When asked if a 2002 U.S. Justice Department memo about torture of terror suspects during interrogations might have set the tone for such a beating, Ashcroft replied, "Absolutely not."
Passaro, who now works at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina, was arrested on Thursday morning by U.S. law enforcement officials in North Carolina.
The case was referred to the Justice Department by the CIA last fall, Ashcroft said. It had been investigated by the CIA's office of inspector general.
"We take allegations of wrongdoing very seriously," CIA spokesman Mark Mansfield said. "The CIA does not support or condone unlawful activities of any sort and has an obligation to report possible violations of the law to the appropriate authorities."
Regarding other claims of prisoner abuse in Iraq or Afghanistan, Ashcroft said there has been a referral from the Department of Defense and additional referrals from the CIA. He gave no details.
He said the cases have been assigned to a special team of prosecutors in Virginia, where the CIA and Defense Department are based.
