September 24, 2005
The
disturbing case of Abdul Amir Younes Hussein, the CBS cameraman who has
been detained by U.S. forces in Iraq for over five months without a
shred of evidence being publicly presented against him, has taken yet
another bizarre turn.
As reported by the New York Times and Wall Street Journal
last week, Hussein is a 25-year-old freelancer who has found himself
trapped in a nightmare of secrecy, suspicion, and legal uncertainty
since being wounded by U.S. forces while filming the aftermath of a car
bombing in Mosul on April 5th.
At
first the military expressed regret for Hussein's minor injuries. But
three days later they arrested him, claiming he had been "engaged in
anti-coalition activity." Thus began his Kafka-esque legal odyssey,
which has seen the reportedly timid reporter shuttled from prison to
prison (including Abu Ghraib), while the military has changed its story
multiple times, refused to release any evidence against him, refused to
let Hussein be visited by friends or relatives, and rebuffed the
efforts of CBS to have his case adjudicated in a conclusive manner.
"We're
not insisting that Abdul Amir is innocent," CBS President Andrew
Heyward told me. "We're just asking for due process and some answers,
which so far the military has refused to provide. What are the specific
charges against him? What is the evidence against him? Why can't we see
it? Instead, we've seen shifting explanations and seemingly arbitrary
rulings."
The
latest twist in the case came earlier this week. Back in July --
already three months after his arrest -- Hussein was scheduled to have
his case heard by the Combined Review and Release Board, a panel made
up of American military officials and Iraqi government officials. In
preparation for the hearing, CBS News submitted evidence it had
gathered supporting Hussein's innocence. But the hearing was abruptly
cancelled and his case turned over to Iraqi criminal authorities. They
in turn reviewed the case and, in late August, declined to prosecute
him.
Once
again we see that Iraqi authorities are sovereign only as long as they
agree with the Americans actually in charge. This time they didn't
agree, so instead of releasing him, the military kept him in jail
claiming it had access to classified information the Iraqi authorities
didn't. Another hearing with the CRRB was set for September 22. But on
September 12, CBS News was informed that the hearing had already been
held -- without Hussein, his lawyer, or anyone from CBS News in
attendance. Then, on Tuesday, came word that the CRRB had decided to
keep Hussein in jail, with no review of his case for another six
months.
It's
an outrage. And not just for Abdul Hussein. Cases like his can't help
but have a chilling effect on news coverage of Iraq. With Western
reporters holed up away from the action, news organizations are relying
on Iraqi personnel to get the story.
At
such a crucial time in the war, we need the most accurate accounting of
what is actually happening on the ground as is possible -- and anything
that closes down that flow of information (like the prolonged detention
of those trying to report from the front) needs to be fought tooth and
nail.
The American people deserve the truth. About the war and about Abdul Amir Younes Hussein.
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