2 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, May 10, 2004 NATION/WORLD PRISONERS Continued from Page 1. Sivits is one of seven soldiers facing charges but appears to be a lesser fig- ure in the case. Some of the others will likely face a general court martial, which can give more severe punish- ments than the "special" court martial that will try Sivits. His trial could pro- duce evidence for prosecuting others believed to be more culpable. Sivits is believed to have taken some of the photos that triggered the scandal. His father, Daniel Sivits, said last month his son "was told to take a pic- ture, and he did what he was told." He said his son trained as a mechanic but found himself performing military police work for which he was unquali- fied. The family said it had no comment yesterday morning. Sivits was charged with conspiracy to mistreat detainees, dereliction of duty for failing to protect prisoners and maltreatment of detainees. Seven offi- cers have received career-ending repri- mands. If convicted, Sivits could face one year in prison, reduction in rank to pri- vate, forfeiture of two-thirds of his pay for a year, a fine or a bad conduct dis- charge. Penalties could include only one, all or any combination of those punishments. Sivits will be able to choose between trial before a single military judge or a three-member panel of senior officers. He has the right to a civilian attorney and will have access to military coun- sel. Officials hope the trial will convince Iraqis that the United States does not tolerate torture reminiscent of the dark- I est days of Saddam Hussein and will act swiftly to punish those responsible. Saddam's regime used the grim Abu Ghraib facility, located on the western edge of Baghdad, to torture and murder thousands of his critics. The trials could determine whether abuse at Abu Ghraib was an aberration - as the U.S. command insists - or stemmed from pressure from military intelligence units to make detainees more compliant under questioning. Months before the scandal broke, the International Committee of the Red Cross told top Washington officials it had problems with the treatment of prisoners in Iraq and at the U.S. deten- tion center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, said Antonella Notari, chief agency spokeswoman. She said ICRC President Jakob Kel- lenberger spoke about prison condi- tions during January meetings with Secretary of State Colin Powell, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz. "He raised concerns regarding deten- tion in Iraq, along with Guantanamo and other locations," Notari told The Associated Press in Geneva. One soldier facing charges, Spc. Sabrina Harman, said she and others with the 372nd Military Police Compa- ny took direction from Army military intelligence officers, CIA operatives and civilian contractors who conducted interrogations. American officials have insisted the abuses at Abu Ghraib were carried out by a handful of soldiers who failed to follow procedures and were not part of a systematic program of brutality. "Please don't paint with such a wide brush that it indicts the other 135,000 American soldiers and Marines out there doing the right thing," Kimmitt told reporters. He said investigators "We were dealing here with a broad pattern, not individual acts. There wars a pattern and a system.' - Pierre Kraehenbuel Red Cross operations director believe that only a "very small number of guards" were involved. However, Iraqis freed from U.S. cus- tody since the war began in March 2003 have long told of abusive treat- ment including lying bound in the sun for hours; being attacked by dogs; being deprived of water; and left hood- ed for days. Until photos were pub- lished, their complaints won little attention except from human rights groups. Last summer, Amnesty International said it learned Red Cross inspectors were finding serious abuses, and it charged that "torture and gross abuse of human rights" were occurring. On Friday, the ICRC disclosed it had repeatedly demanded last year that U.S. authorities correctproblems at Abu Ghraib and other detention centers. The Americans took action on some issue but not others, it said. "We were dealing here with a broad pattern, not individual acts. There was a pattern and a system," Pierre Kraehen- buel, the Red Cross operations director. said in Geneva. U.S. lawmakers have warned that the most repulsive photos have yet to be released and have insisted that the Army investigation should have repercussions for higher-ups, not just the military police accused of abusing detainees. Did you know you will pay more in interest when yOu consolidate eligible student loans through the Federal Direct Consolidation Program compared to when you consolidate with the Student Loan Consolidation Center (SLCC)? It's true. You don't have to pay more in interest because SLCC offers some of the best borrower benefits in the industry. By consolidating with SLCC you can keep more of your money each month and reduce your interest rate at the same time. If you are graduating this year please call the SLCC toll-free number today at 800-864-7053 SLC . and we will help you PAY LESS now. The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Mondays during the spring and summer terms by students at the University of Michigan. 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