Iraq detainees 'found starving'

Iraq's government says it has begun an investigation into the alleged abuse of more than 170 detainees held by Iraqi security forces in Baghdad.

The prisoners, many malnourished and some showing signs of torture, were found when US troops took control of an interior ministry building on Sunday....

Iraq's prime minister has promised to find those responsible for any abuse. Most of those held were Sunnis....

There have been persistent allegations of abuse by members of the Shia-dominated security forces, [the BBC's Caroline Hawley] says....

There are suspicions the building may also have been used as a base for a militia called the Badr Brigade, and that such militias may have infiltrated Iraq's security services, our correspondent adds....

--BBC

And before the right-wingers start whining about devious prisoners who lie about being tortured and about the terrorist-loving BBC, they should note that the Iraqi government confirms this:

...Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari said he had been told that 173 detainees had been held, that they appeared malnourished, and may have been "subjected to some kind of torture".

He launched an inquiry and said the prisoners had been moved and would be given medical care.

Deputy interior minister Hussein Kamal, who saw some of the abuse victims personally, said: "I've never seen such a situation like this during the past two years in Baghdad, this is the worst.

"I saw signs of physical abuse by brutal beating, one or two detainees were paralysed and some had their skin peeled off various parts of their bodies." ...

Gee, good thing Saddam's gone, hunh?