Retired general’s testimony links private contractor to Abu Ghraib abuses

By MATTHEW BARAKAT
Associated Press

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — An Army general who investigated the abuse of prisoners 20 years ago at Iraq’s infamous Abu Ghraib prison has testified that a civilian contractor instructed prison guards to “soften up” detainees for interrogations. Retired general Antonio Taguba told jurors Tuesday that Steven Stefanowicz even tried to intimidate him by staring him down during questioning. Taguba’s testimony was the strongest evidence yet that civilian employees of the Virginia-based military contractor CACI played a role in the abuse of Abu Ghraib inmates. Three former inmates at the prison are suing CACI in federal court in Alexandria, alleging that the contractor contributed to the tortuous treatment they suffered. CACI denies wrongdoing.