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'Dog pen' detentions anger Muslim leader
Tue Sep 2 2008
1 hour 4 minutes ago
By Peter Williams and Max Blenkin
The detention of Taliban prisoners at a dog-holding facility in Afghanistan has disgusted Muslim leaders in Australia, but the Rudd government has defended the diggers responsible and the opposition says they should be cut "a bit of slack".
Both major parties have spoken out in support of the soldiers' treatment of the four prisoners, who Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon says were suspected of "atrocious" acts.
But reports of the incident, which occurred in late April, angered the leadership of Australia's Muslims, who regard dogs as unclean.
"I am appalled that Australian soldiers have been implicated with such disgusting treatment of human beings," Australian Federation of Islamic Councils president Iqbal Patel told ABC Radio.
"No human bring should be in any way placed in a dog pen.
"I mean we've heard about the Americans doing similar things of late in Iraq, and one never expected that a great country such as Australia would go to such levels."
Mr Fitzgibbon said descriptions of the holding facility as a dog pen were provocative.
He said the soldiers had been on patrol far their main base in Tarin Kowt in southern Afghanistan but near one of their forward operating bases.
"They did detain people suspected of the worst and most atrocious acts. And they detained them in the most practical way available to them at the time," Mr Fitzgibbon told ABC Radio.
"They were in a compound I've had described to me as a walled compound which I'm sure is used for a variety of purposes.
"I'm advised that the compound is from time to time used to hold dogs, yes. Dogs are a very important part of our operations there."
A defence inquiry report, released last Friday, found there was no evidence that the Taliban suspects had been mistreated.
But the investigating officer did acknowledge that complaints about their treatment may have stemmed from cultural differences.
Mr Fitzgibbon said Australian soldiers were fighting a tough battle against the Taliban insurgents.
"We are at war in Afghanistan with people who will employ any tactic including the use of children as shields and as a means of propaganda and it is a tough battle," he said.
"But we always endeavour to comply on all occasions with international law and I am confident that our people have done so."
Opposition defence spokesman Nick Minchin said Australians should give their troops a "bit of slack".
"It's pretty outrageous for any Australian to complain about the behaviour of Australian troops in relation to these Taliban extremists who not only treat other troops but their own people with such degradation, cruelty and appalling procedures," he said.
RSL national president Bill Crews says there might have been extraneous circumstances surrounding the incident.
"There are circumstances where you need to take extraordinary measures to do the job and that might be one of the cases here that we are referring to."
'Dog pen' detentions anger Muslim leader
Tue Sep 2 2008
1 hour 4 minutes ago
By Peter Williams and Max Blenkin
The detention of Taliban prisoners at a dog-holding facility in Afghanistan has disgusted Muslim leaders in Australia, but the Rudd government has defended the diggers responsible and the opposition says they should be cut "a bit of slack".
Both major parties have spoken out in support of the soldiers' treatment of the four prisoners, who Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon says were suspected of "atrocious" acts.
But reports of the incident, which occurred in late April, angered the leadership of Australia's Muslims, who regard dogs as unclean.
"I am appalled that Australian soldiers have been implicated with such disgusting treatment of human beings," Australian Federation of Islamic Councils president Iqbal Patel told ABC Radio.
"No human bring should be in any way placed in a dog pen.
"I mean we've heard about the Americans doing similar things of late in Iraq, and one never expected that a great country such as Australia would go to such levels."
Mr Fitzgibbon said descriptions of the holding facility as a dog pen were provocative.
He said the soldiers had been on patrol far their main base in Tarin Kowt in southern Afghanistan but near one of their forward operating bases.
"They did detain people suspected of the worst and most atrocious acts. And they detained them in the most practical way available to them at the time," Mr Fitzgibbon told ABC Radio.
"They were in a compound I've had described to me as a walled compound which I'm sure is used for a variety of purposes.
"I'm advised that the compound is from time to time used to hold dogs, yes. Dogs are a very important part of our operations there."
A defence inquiry report, released last Friday, found there was no evidence that the Taliban suspects had been mistreated.
But the investigating officer did acknowledge that complaints about their treatment may have stemmed from cultural differences.
Mr Fitzgibbon said Australian soldiers were fighting a tough battle against the Taliban insurgents.
"We are at war in Afghanistan with people who will employ any tactic including the use of children as shields and as a means of propaganda and it is a tough battle," he said.
"But we always endeavour to comply on all occasions with international law and I am confident that our people have done so."
Opposition defence spokesman Nick Minchin said Australians should give their troops a "bit of slack".
"It's pretty outrageous for any Australian to complain about the behaviour of Australian troops in relation to these Taliban extremists who not only treat other troops but their own people with such degradation, cruelty and appalling procedures," he said.
RSL national president Bill Crews says there might have been extraneous circumstances surrounding the incident.
"There are circumstances where you need to take extraordinary measures to do the job and that might be one of the cases here that we are referring to."
