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Schmidt-Furlow Report: AR 15-6 Investigation into FBI Allegations of Detainee Abuse at Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility

June 9, 2005 | DOA | SOUTHCOM | ACLU-RDI 4998

General Bantz J. Craddock, Commander United States Southern Command, ordered an AR 15-6 investigation into alleged instances of abuse at Guantanamo. He appointed Brigadier General John T. Furlow and Lieutenant General Randall M. Schmidt to look into a series of allegations made by FBI agents who had served at the military base. After reviewing a three-year period covering more than 24,000 interrogations, Furlow and Schmidt identified three interrogation acts that were never approved for use by the government. Additional techniques used during interrogations were authorized after the fact. The investigation revealed no evidence of torture or inhumane treatment. The legal basis for the various interrogation guidelines was not reviewed. The report considers specific incidents involving the subjects of the first and second Special Interrogation Plans.

[You can view enclosures to the report by searching the Torture Database for "Schmidt-Furlow Report Enclosure ##," where "##" is the number of the enclosure you are looking for.]

AUTHORING AGENCIES:
INCIDENTS OF ABUSE MENTIONED:
  • 2002-08-08, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • The subject of the first Special Interrogation Plan was placed in an "isolation facility," away from other detainees, from August 8, 2002, until January 15, 2003. He only had contact with interrogators and military police. Prior to November 12, 2002, placement in an isolation facility was unauthorized.
  • 2002-10-05, Camp X-Ray, Guantanamo
    • In October 2002, a military working dog was used as part of an interrogation. The dog was "directed to growl, bark, and show his teeth at the subject of the Department of Defense's first Special Interrogation Plan." At the time, this technique was unauthorized.
  • 2002-12-01, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • On several occasions in December 2002, the subject of the first Special Interrogation Plan was subject to strip searches. The detainee claims that these were cavity searches. The AR 15-6 investigation was unable to determine the scope of the strip search, but did indicate that they were done as a control measure. During one search, the detainee was forced to stand naked for five minutes with female interrogators present. The strip searches were authorized under the Army Field Manual as an "ego down and futility" technique, but the AR 15-6 investigation raised concerns about the cumulative effect of the use of this technique in conjunction with others.
  • 2002-12-04, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • A female interrogator entered the personal space of the subject of the first Special Interrogation Plan, touching and massaging his back while whispering into his ear. The detainee responded by praying, swearing at the interrogator, and attempting to get away from her. The technique had been previously approved.
  • 2002-12-06, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • The subject of the first Special Interrogation Plan was forced to wear a woman’s bra and had a thong placed on his head during the course of the interrogation. This was authorized under the Army Field Manual as an "ego down and futility" technique, but the AR 15-6 investigation raised concerns about the cumulative effect of the use of this technique in conjunction with others.
  • 2002-12-17, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • The subject of the first Special Interrogation Plan was told that his mother and sister were whores. This was authorized under the Army Field Manual as an "ego down and futility" technique, but the AR 15-6 investigation raised concerns about the cumulative effect of the use of this technique in conjunction with others.
  • 2002-12-17, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • The subject of the first Special Interrogation Plan was told that he was a homosexual, had homosexual tendencies, and that other detainees had found out about these tendencies. This was authorized under the Army Field Manual as an "ego down and futility" technique, but the AR 15-6 investigation raised concerns about the cumulative effect of the use of this technique in conjunction with others.
  • 2002-12-20, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • An interrogator tied a leash to the subject of the first Special Interrogation Plan’s chains, led him around the room, and forced him to perform a series of dog tricks. This was authorized under the Army Field Manual as an "ego down and futility" technique, but the AR 15-6 investigation raised concerns about the cumulative effect of the use of this technique in conjunction with others.
  • 2002-12-20, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • An interrogator forced the subject of the first Special Interrogation Plan to dance with a male interrogator. This was authorized under the Army Field Manual as an "ego down and futility" technique, but the AR 15-6 investigation raised concerns about the cumulative effect of the use of this technique in conjunction with others.
  • 2003-07-17, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • A masked DOD interrogator told the subject of the second Special Interrogation Plan that he had a dream about the detainee's dying. He related that he "saw four detainees that were chained together at the feet. They dug a hole that was six-feet long, six-feet deep, and four-feet wide. Then he observed the detainees throw a plain, pine casket with the detainee’s identification number painted in orange lowered into the ground." The interrogator explained that his dream meant that the detainee would die at Guantanamo from old age and be buried on 'Christian... sovereign American soil," unless he cooperated.
  • Unknown date, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • Female interrogators are alleged to have "performed acts designed to take advantage of their gender in relation to Muslim males." The AR-15 investigation determines that during March 2003, "a female interrogator approached a detainee from behind, rubbed against his back, leaned over the detainee touching him on his knee and shoulder and whispered in his ear that his situation was futile, and ran her fingers through his hair." She received a written admonishment for "for failure to document the techniques to be implemented by the interrogator prior to the interrogation."
  • Unknown date, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • Female interrogators are accused of having "performed acts designed to take advantage of their gender in relation to Muslim males.” In one occasion between October 2002 and January 2003, a female interrogator put perfume on a detainee by touching his arm with her hand. The detainee lost his balance in trying to respond and chipped his tooth as he fell to the floor. The AR 15-6 investigation found that such "mild, non-injurious physical touching" was authorized by the Army Field Manual and the Secretary of Defense.
  • Unknown date, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • In March 2003, a female interrogator told a detainee that the red ink on her hand was menstrual blood and then wiped her hand on the detainee’s arm. She took the action in order to "get back at him" for having spit in her face. After the interrogator put the "menstrual blood" on the detainee, he feel to the floor and started banging his head. The interrogator was verbally reprimanded by a superior, but no formal disciplinary action was taken. This was not an approved technique.
  • Unknown date, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • General accusations regarding the use of yelling, loud music, and strobe lights during interrogations in 2002 and 2003. The AR 15-6 investigation found that such tactics were authorized and that music was never loud enough to cause physical injury. Such techniques were used on the subject of the first Special Interrogation Plan.
  • Unknown date, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • Camp X-Ray, Guantanamo
    • Military interrogators used extreme temperatures in several interrogations in 2002 and 2003. Often, the air condition was turned up to make detainees uncomfortably cold. At Camp X-Ray, interrogation "booths" were not air-conditioned in order to make detainees uncomfortably hot. Only after April 16, 2003, was the technique authorized by the Secretary of Defense.
  • Unknown date, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • During 2003 and 2004, some detainees were subjected to cell moves every few hours to disrupt sleep patterns and lower their ability to resist interrogation. The details of the sleep deprivation and disruption techniques was unclear to investigators. One FBI agent alleged cycles of 16 hours of interrogation followed by a four-hour break. During certain periods all or some of the techniques were unauthorized.
  • Unknown date
    • In October, 2002, military police used duct tape to cover the mouth of a detainee that was yelling in an interrogation section of Guantanamo. The detainee was said to have been chanting passages from the Koran. After several attempts with less duct tape, the MP was able to "quiet" the detainee by wrapping the tape twice around head and mouth and three times under the chin and around the top of the head. The ICE Chief that had ordered the MPs' action received a verbal admonishment.
  • Unknown date
    • At least twice between February 2002 and February 2003, a detainee was found "short shackled" to the floor of the interrogation room. Short shackling requires detainees to were lie in the fetal position or crouch very low to the ground. One FBI agent testified that she witnessed a detainee short shackled, lying in his own excrement. No evidence revealed those responsible for the actions.
  • Unknown date
    • An FBI agents alleges that two detainees were denied food and water. The allegation was made based on the detainees' appearance. The AR 15-6 investigation turns up no evidence supporting the allegation.
  • Unknown date, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • In November 2002, a military working dog was used against the subject of the first Special Interrogation Plan. The dog was ordered "to growl, show teeth and bark at the detainee" from the entrance of the interrogation room. Both JTF-GTMO Commanders deny that they approved the dog's use, though the technique had been authorized at the point by the Secretary of Defense.
  • Unknown date, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • Interrogators exposed the subject of the first Special Interrogation Plan to cold temperatures on several occasions between November 2002 and January 2003. Twice the detainee suffered from bradycardia, which may have been linked to low body temperature. However, there is no evidence to link this to exposure to extreme cold.
  • Unknown date, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • From November 23, 2002, to January 16, 2003, the subject of the first Special Interrogation Plan spent 18-20 hours per day, for 48 of 54 days, in interrogation. The use of 20-hour interrogations was permitted by a December 2, 2002, Secretary of Defense memorandum.
  • Unknown date, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • On three occasions in November and December 2002, the subject of the first Special Interrogation Plan was prevented from praying during interrogation. This technique was authorized under the Army Field Manual as an "ego down and futility" technique, but the AR 15-6 investigation raised concerns about the cumulative effect of the use of this technique in conjunction with others.
  • Unknown date, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • The subject of the first Special Interrogation Plan became upset when two Korans were put on a TV , as a control measure during an interrogation in November 2002, and again when an interrogator got up on the desk and unintentionally squatted over the detainee’s Koran while acting in an aggressive manner. The behavior here was authorized under the Army Field Manual as an "ego down and futility" technique, but the AR 15-6 investigation raised concerns about the cumulative effect of the use of this technique in conjunction with others.
  • Unknown date, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • On 17 occasions between December 13, 2002, and January 14, 2003, interrogators poured water over the subject of the first Special Interrogation Plan head during interrogations. This technique was authorized under the Army Field Manual as an "ego down and futility" technique, but the AR 15-6 investigation raised concerns about the cumulative effect of the use of this technique in conjunction with others.
  • Unknown date, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • The subject of the first Special Interrogation Plan says that he was "threatened with homosexual rape." The AR 15-6 investigation did not find evidence to corroborate this allegation.
  • Unknown date, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • During the summer of 2003, interrogators would adjust the air conditioner to make the subject of the second Special Interrogation Plan uncomfortable. This occurred on at least two occasions, on July 10 and July 11, 2003. In addition, the detainee claims he was placed in a room referred to as the "freezer." Such environmental manipulation had been approved by the Secretary of Defense on April 16, 2003.
  • Unknown date, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • The subject of the second Special Interrogation Plan alleges that female military interrogators removed their BDU tops and rubbed themselves against him, fondled his genitalia, and made lewd sexual comments, noises, and gestures. While interrogation logs reveal that female interrogators did use their gender to "distract" the detainee, the AR 15-6 report found insufficient evidence to corroborate the detainee's allegations.
  • Unknown date, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • The subject of the second Special Interrogation Plan alleges that in late summer of 2003 he was hit by guards and an interrogator "very hard" and "with all their strength." The AR 15-6 report found insufficient evidence to corroborate the allegations, but did note medical records that indicate that the detainee suffered "rib contusions" and other abrasions during an altercation with military police when moved between camps in August 2003.
  • Unknown date, Unknown, Guantanamo
    • On July 20, 2003, a masked DOD interrogator told the subject of the Second Interrogation Plan that he family was "incarcerated." On August 2, 2003, the Special Team Chief, impersonating a Navy Captain, told the detainee that he had a letter regarding the detainee's family's capture and that the family was in danger. Later that day, a messenger told the detainee that his interrogators were "sick of hearing the same lies over and over and are seriously considering washing their hands of him." The messenger urged the detainee to think of "worst possible scenario he could end up in" and stated that "beatings and physical pain are not the worst thing in the world." The AR 15-6 investigation found that the interrogation techniques, as a whole, violated the UCMJ, Article 134 (communicating a threat).