Mr Grimsdale
05-11-2004, 10:05 AM
How do you interrogate prisoners? (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3701543.stm)
The abuse of Iraqi prisoners has provoked international outrage. So what options might interrogators use to get vital information from detainees?
Images of a grinning female officer standing in front of naked Iraqis, dogs straining at the leash as a prisoner cowers and a hooded man standing on a box with wires attached to him have provoked international outrage.
But if such practices are unacceptable, what techniques might be used by interrogators, who may need to quickly extract information from prisoners?
Interrogation expert Duncan March, a former Royal Marine, says the use of psychological techniques by trained personnel is the only way forward in such circumstances.
Interrogators must work within guidelines set by the Geneva Convention which are designed to ensure prisoners are treated humanely at all times.
'Bargaining position'
The most infamous prisoner in US hands is the deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, a man who coalition forces will want to pump for information.
"They probably made Saddam Hussein think he was powerful and had a strong bargaining position," says Mr March.
Allowing Saddam Hussein to think he was still a big player and using it to try and win information would be an obvious starting point
After that, sleep deprivation, the use of white noise and isolation can help break the prisoner down.
"It could be you come out of isolation and just want to talk to someone. You're working with them emotionally," says Mr March, who has worked in Northern Ireland and Iraq.
Over time, people deprived of sleep become a shell of the person they once were and are more likely to co-operate.
Mr March says there are no such things as truth drugs and while LSD or cannabis may be options for getting the prisoner to talk, there are no guarantees you will hear anything but nonsense.
The most effective way of interrogating a prisoner is to find out who they are and what makes them tick, he says.
Details about their sexuality, their attitudes to women and who is in their family are the types of things an interrogator would want to know.
"It might be they can handle it big style, but when you bring in the daughter, the son, or the mother they just can't handle it."
"People are like a piano, you just need to know which key to press."
Violence pointless
At the Abu Ghraib prison, the people being held have much less strategic importance than Saddam Hussein and include civilians. Yet some have been physically abused.
According to a Pentagon report some detainees were threatened with a loaded pistol, beaten with a broom handle, or threatened with rape.
But not only is the use of physical violence banned under international law it is also pointless, says Mr March.
"It gets to the point where if a human being is beaten you don't get anything from them."
As such it is essential that commanders retain strong control over their troops during a war.
The risk is that rearguard troops get bored and frustrated.
"They hear there's been a blue on blue (friendly fire incident) or the Iraqis have been 'underhand'. When they get hold of them they vent their frustrations."
'Stripped naked'
Despite the need to stay within the guidelines set by the Geneva Convention, we should not be too surprised to learn of some of the things happening in Iraq, says Mr March.
The actions of soldiers at the Abu Ghraib prison are badly managed interpretations of techniques that may be used by trained interrogators.
"You could be stripped naked and put in front of two female officers who will then make reference to your genitalia because they're trying to make you uncomfortable. It's like Jeremy Paxman trying to wrong foot an interviewee."
He also suggests the use of barking dogs would be accepted practice, so long as they are not allowed to bite.
"The fear of a dog biting is quite common and having dogs around is saying 'any thoughts of escape are not going to happen because there's 10 German Shepherds here'."
Hoods might be used over short periods of time, when people are being moved or if you don't want them to know where they are. There could also be a lot of shouting.
The Daily Mirror published photos of a British soldier apparently urinating on a prisoner - images the government now claims were faked.
Using such techniques against prisoners would not be acceptable, says Mr March, but pouring water on them and telling them it was urine might be.
Nevertheless, the former Royal Marine is opposed to the abuses taking place in Iraq and believes it must be stopped.
The abuse of Iraqi prisoners has provoked international outrage. So what options might interrogators use to get vital information from detainees?
Images of a grinning female officer standing in front of naked Iraqis, dogs straining at the leash as a prisoner cowers and a hooded man standing on a box with wires attached to him have provoked international outrage.
But if such practices are unacceptable, what techniques might be used by interrogators, who may need to quickly extract information from prisoners?
Interrogation expert Duncan March, a former Royal Marine, says the use of psychological techniques by trained personnel is the only way forward in such circumstances.
Interrogators must work within guidelines set by the Geneva Convention which are designed to ensure prisoners are treated humanely at all times.
'Bargaining position'
The most infamous prisoner in US hands is the deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, a man who coalition forces will want to pump for information.
"They probably made Saddam Hussein think he was powerful and had a strong bargaining position," says Mr March.
Allowing Saddam Hussein to think he was still a big player and using it to try and win information would be an obvious starting point
After that, sleep deprivation, the use of white noise and isolation can help break the prisoner down.
"It could be you come out of isolation and just want to talk to someone. You're working with them emotionally," says Mr March, who has worked in Northern Ireland and Iraq.
Over time, people deprived of sleep become a shell of the person they once were and are more likely to co-operate.
Mr March says there are no such things as truth drugs and while LSD or cannabis may be options for getting the prisoner to talk, there are no guarantees you will hear anything but nonsense.
The most effective way of interrogating a prisoner is to find out who they are and what makes them tick, he says.
Details about their sexuality, their attitudes to women and who is in their family are the types of things an interrogator would want to know.
"It might be they can handle it big style, but when you bring in the daughter, the son, or the mother they just can't handle it."
"People are like a piano, you just need to know which key to press."
Violence pointless
At the Abu Ghraib prison, the people being held have much less strategic importance than Saddam Hussein and include civilians. Yet some have been physically abused.
According to a Pentagon report some detainees were threatened with a loaded pistol, beaten with a broom handle, or threatened with rape.
But not only is the use of physical violence banned under international law it is also pointless, says Mr March.
"It gets to the point where if a human being is beaten you don't get anything from them."
As such it is essential that commanders retain strong control over their troops during a war.
The risk is that rearguard troops get bored and frustrated.
"They hear there's been a blue on blue (friendly fire incident) or the Iraqis have been 'underhand'. When they get hold of them they vent their frustrations."
'Stripped naked'
Despite the need to stay within the guidelines set by the Geneva Convention, we should not be too surprised to learn of some of the things happening in Iraq, says Mr March.
The actions of soldiers at the Abu Ghraib prison are badly managed interpretations of techniques that may be used by trained interrogators.
"You could be stripped naked and put in front of two female officers who will then make reference to your genitalia because they're trying to make you uncomfortable. It's like Jeremy Paxman trying to wrong foot an interviewee."
He also suggests the use of barking dogs would be accepted practice, so long as they are not allowed to bite.
"The fear of a dog biting is quite common and having dogs around is saying 'any thoughts of escape are not going to happen because there's 10 German Shepherds here'."
Hoods might be used over short periods of time, when people are being moved or if you don't want them to know where they are. There could also be a lot of shouting.
The Daily Mirror published photos of a British soldier apparently urinating on a prisoner - images the government now claims were faked.
Using such techniques against prisoners would not be acceptable, says Mr March, but pouring water on them and telling them it was urine might be.
Nevertheless, the former Royal Marine is opposed to the abuses taking place in Iraq and believes it must be stopped.