Supreme Court Rejects Appeal of Abu Ghraib Inmates Claiming War Crimes Violations

Seven years after the release of shocking images of tortured prisoners in Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, the Supreme Court has turned back the appeal of 26 inmates from that infamous facility who wanted to sue two military contractors for damages.

The military's official investigation revealed "numerous incidents of sadistic, blatant, and wanton criminal abuses" committed by military personnel and civilian contractors who provided support services at the prison.

More than two dozen soldiers were reprimanded or court-martialed for their conduct. But those who were tortured want to sue two firms that hired the civilians who helped the military with translations and interrogations.

The investigative report authored by now retired Major Gen. Antonio Taguba concluded that the civilians hired by CACI International and Titan Corporation "(did) not appear to be properly supervised within the detention facility." He also identified specific civilian employees who were involved in the torture but lacked the authority to court martial those workers who also escaped criminal prosecution in civilian courts. 

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