Abu Ghraib officer's leadership at issue

The former commander of seven disgraced military police soldiers at Abu Ghraib says the only officer charged in the prisoner-abuse scandal was well aware of shocking conditions inside the prison in Iraq.

The testimony on the second day of Lt. Col. Steven L. Jordan's court-martial was some of the strongest evidence the government has offered to support charges that Jordan willfully failed to train, supervise and ensure that soldiers under his control followed interrogation rules.

Jordan, 51, a reservist, doesn't appear in any of the infamous photos of humiliation and assaults committed by low-ranking U.S. soldiers. He is accused of illegally ordering the use of dogs during interrogations and of subjecting detainees to forced nudity and intimidation during a search for smuggled weapons on Nov. 24, 2003. He faces up to 8 1/2 years in prison if he is convicted on all counts.

Maj. Donald Reese, now with the 300th Military Police Brigade of Inkster, Mich., formerly commanded the 372nd MP Company, a western Maryland unit that has had seven members convicted of crimes at Abu Ghraib. He testified that Jordan, who directed the prison's interrogation center in fall 2003, knew about naked detainees and told Reese it was an interrogation technique when Reese asked him about it shortly after arriving at Abu Ghraib.

Reese also testified that Jordan asked the MPs on Nov. 24, 2003, to conduct a cell search that involved dogs. Jordan is accused of illegally authorizing the use of dogs for interrogations on that date.

Defense attorney Maj. Kris Poppe tried to neutralize the testimony by reminding Reese _ and the jury _ that Reese was reprimanded for his own leadership failure at Abu Ghraib _ but has been promoted from captain to major.

Poppe also produced a prison log with an Oct. 20, 2003, entry noting that MPs had ordered a prisoner stripped for six days for sharpening a toothbrush into a weapon.

"So there is at least one incident when it appears that nudity was part of an MP tactic?" Poppe asked.

"It appears that way, sir," Reese responded. But he said he also had been told by several sources, including Jordan, that nudity was an interrogation tactic.

Reese acknowledged that Jordan wasn't in command of the MPs. The government contends that as the senior officer on the scene on Nov. 24, Jordan controlled both MPs and interrogators even though they weren't in his chain of command.

Jordan's defense was bolstered by another prosecution witness, Col. Thomas Pappas, who testified that Jordan did not fail to supervise or train interrogators on proper techniques, as the government alleges.

Prosecutor Lt. Col. John P. Tracy said in his opening statement that Jordan was a failed leader whose errors set the stage for abuses.

"He was the man who created an atmosphere that broke down the discipline of the soldiers and allowed it to happen," Tracy said.

Poppe countered that Jordan was "a courageous leader" who helped improve security and living conditions at the prison despite being wounded in a mortar attack shortly after he arrived in September 2003.

Poppe said the abuses were committed mainly by military police not under Jordan's command.

"The evidence will show that Lt. Col. Jordan was a strong leader. The evidence will not show that Lt. Col. Jordan abused any detainees or was present when any detainees were abused," Poppe said.

Jordan was directly supervised by Pappas, who testified he took over as director of the Joint Interrogation and Debriefing Center in mid-November because Jordan wasn't focusing on it enough.

Pappas hasn't been criminally charged. He was reprimanded and fined $8,000 for approving the use of dogs during an interrogation without higher approval.