Email provides recipients with an updated strategy on detainee operations following the Army's discovery of detainee abuse. Original email/update is from Major General Geoffrey Miller.
-G3 OPS EOC Org Account
From: WIMP COL 3/2 Infantry Brigade CDR
Sent: ues ay, ay 04, 2004 10:41 AM
To: LTC 3/2 Infantry Brigade DCO . MAJ 3/2 Infantry Brigade TC 3/2 Infantry Brigade XO; LTC 3/2 Infantry Brigade DCO; MAJ 3/2 Infantry Brigade S3 . . MAJ 3/2 Infantry Brigade Provost
Subject: FW: DETAINEE STRATEGY
Original Message
From: Ham Carter BG (MNB-N) CDR
[mailto tfo.cl.army.smil.mil ]
Sent: Monday,
03, 2004 8:57 PM
To: LTC (MNB-N) Provost Marshal; (E-mail)
Cc: ) Chief of Staff E-mail);
COL (MNB-N)
DE (E-mail); CO (E-mail); TC
(MNB-N) JA OIC
Subject: FW: DETAINEE STRATEGY
Original Message
From: COL CJTF7-CG XO
Sent: on ay, May
, 2004 9: 3 PM
To: Ham, Carter BG (MNB-N) CDR; lidgs.5sigcmd.army.smil.mil';
lcd.smil.mil'; lmardiv.usmc.smil.mil';
. smc.smil.mil'; ' Gen James T'
er, Joseph F MG CJTF7-Chief of Staff; Miller, Geoffrey MG CJTF7 -
DCG(D)
Subject:
DETAINEE STRATEGY
Sir,
Below is an update on the way ahead for detainee operations.
v/r
1111111111111111
'
Original Message
From:
Miller, Geoffrey MG CJTF7 - DCG(D)
Sent:
Monday, May 03, 2004 7:53 AM
To: Sanchez, Ricardo LTG CJTF7-VCORPS CDR; Metz, Thomas F LTG -MNC-I CG;
Webe
Jose h F MG CJTF7-Chief of Staff
Cc: COL CJTF7-CG XO
Subjec : DETAINEE STRATEGY
Commanders -
Wanted to provide you an update on where we are going on detainee
operations.
The issues we discovered in our investigations and the media coverage of
the suspected detainee abuses requires us to clear the air for our leaders
and soldiers. I want us all to work this and reconfirm to our subordinate
leaders we are doing what is right. We have scheduled media/press visit
to Abu Ghrayb for 5 May to update all on the changes we have put in place
and the way ahead for detainee operations.
Geoff Miller is the lead for all detainee operations - detention, 023115
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interrogation of detainees, recommendation for referral of detainees to
the Central Criminal Court of Iraq for trial, and release authority for
detainees except Black and Grey list detainees. He and the Detainee Task
Force will focus and integrate this part of the fight for us.
Our detainee strategy is based on an integration of interrogations and the
intelligence exploitation of detainees. We are relooking our efforts at
Abu Ghrayb to ensure we are getting tactical intelligence to your units
rapidly to help you in the close fight and supporting our operational
level focus. These interrogations will lead us to a decision on sending
the detainee to CCCI for trial, retain them in custody due to high threat,
transfer to Iraqi authority for to the jurisdiction of the Common Court
of Iraq for trial for civilian crimes, or release back to civil society.
We will work these areas in parallel so more rapid decisions are made. I
have given Geoff the release authority for all non-Black and Grey list
detainees, referral authority to the CCCI, and transfer authority to Iraqi
legal system for detainees that are classified as committing civil
criminal offenses. We will move out rapidly in these areas and keep you
informed.
We are in the process of moving out with our detainee review and release
program. Since February we have reviewed approximately 2300 detainee cases
and made release decisions on the first 1200. Four hundred will remain in
detention and about 800 will be transferred for release. Our first
releases are scheduled for 4 and 14 May and you have received
notification of those detainees who will be returned to you for release on
both periods. The system we will use is to inform you of the releases and
give you an opportunity to provide any additional information that would
cause us to reconsider the release decision. Work with Geoff on any of
these issues. For these first releases I have suspended the Review Board
unit 4 May to address any issues that Commanders bring to us about the
release of detainees. This follows the philosophy of doing something once
and doing it right. We will take a 1 or 2 day break each time we schedule
a release so as to address any release issues from units or agencies. The
Board will reconvene on 5 May and will move forward to meet the goal of
completing the about 1800 remaining detainee files in the next 3 weeks.
I believe this detainee focus is a force multiplier for us and we will
continue to make it work better for our Commanders.
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