The negligence of a former interrogation center director allowed for the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib in Iraq, military prosecution said Tuesday.
Lt. Col. Steven Jordan “created an atmosphere, through his position, where interrogation rules of engagement did not apply,” prosecutor Lt. Col. John Tracy said during the court -martial at Fort Meade.
Jordan, 51, is the only officer among 12 people who have been charged with Abu Ghraib crimes. He has pleaded innocent and claims he has become a scapegoat.
Jordan allegedly failed to inform soldiers of approved interrogation policies, subjected detainees to forced nudity and intimidation by military dogs, and disobeyed a superior?s orders not to discuss the investigation of abuse allegations.
The charges are largely related to a Nov. 24, 2003, “roundup” of Iraqi police during a search for smuggled weapons.
“Evidence will show that every time you go back to something that went wrong ? it can be linked to Lt. Col. Jordan,” Tracy said.
But defense attorney Maj. Kris Poppe said Jordan was a “strong leader who identified problems and worked hard to fix them with his priority being the welfare of thesoldiers.”
“Nightly mortar attacks” and “routine sniper attacks” turned Jordan?s attention to the safety of soldiers, Poppe said.
Jordan was assigned in the fall of 2003 to the Joint Interrogation and Debriefing Center at Abu Ghraib with little interrogation experience. The center centralized intelligence efforts to “interview high-value detainees,” Col. Thomas Pappas said.
The defense argued that Pappas was dissatisfied with Jordan?s leadership and assumed control of the interrogation center himself in November 2003.
Pappas has not been charged but was fined $8,000 for approving the use of dogs during an interrogation.
The defense also said the majority of offenses, particularly during the November weapons search, were committed by military police not under Jordan?s authority. Jordan was there only for backup when subduing the detainee who was smuggled a handgun, Poppe said.
Jordan faces up to 8 1/2 years in prison after eight of the original 12 charges were dropped. The trial is scheduled to continue today.
