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News Front Page Last Updated: Tuesday, 20 May, 2003, 12:23 GMT 13:23 UK
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Sesame Street breaks Iraqi POWs

Heavy metal music and WATCH AND LISTEN
Africa
popular American children's Psy Ops Veterans Association's
Americas Rick Hoffman
songs are being used by US
Asia-Pacific "[It] breaks down their will to resist
interrogators to break the discussing who they are"
Europe
will of their captives in Iraq.
Middle East
South Asia
Uncooperative prisoners are STRUGGLE FOR IRAQ
UK
being exposed for prolonged KEY STORIES
Business periods to tracks by rock group Fresh bombings hit Iraq pilgrims
Health Metallica and music from 'Culturally offensive' music is being Deadly bombings hit Iraq pilgrims
Science & children's TV programmes used to break prisoners
Environment Blair 'misread' Iran view on Iraq
Sesame Street and Barney in the hope of making them talk.
Technology US soldier on Iraq leaks charges
Entertainment FEATURES AND ANALYSIS
The US's Psychological Operations Company (Psy Ops) said Day at the races
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the aim was to break a prisoner's resistance through sleep The remarkable
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deprivation and playing music that was culturally offensive to survival of Baghdad
Video and Audio racecourse
them.
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Programmes Dangerous stalemate after
Have Your Say However, human rights organisation, Amnesty International,
election
In Pictures said such tactics may constitute torture - and coalition forces
Water still muddy after Sadr vote
Country Profiles
could be in breach of the Geneva Convention.
Sadrist vote could anoint new
Special Reports Iraq PM
Sergeant Mark Hadsell, of Psy Ops, told Newsweek magazine:
Iraq views: Voters' uncertainty
RELATED BBC SITES "These people haven't heard heavy metal.
lingers
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WEATHER "They can't take it. If you play This is an issue that The Iraqi bridge to stability
ON THIS DAY it for 24 hours, your brain and seriously concerns us. If
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your train of thought slows of sleep deprivation, it could GUIDES AND BACKGROUND
LANGUAGES well be considered torture Iraq: Key facts and figures
down and your will is broken.
That's when we come in and Guide to groups in Iraqi polls
Amnesty International
talk to them." spokesperson
Q&A: Iraqi parliamentary polls
VIDEO PROFILES
Paper seller: 'God
Sgt Hadsell's favourites are said to be 'Bodies' from the XXX
knows who will win'
film soundtrack and Metallica's 'Enter Sandman'.

Tailor: 'Business was

The theme tune from the US children's programme Sesame good under Saddam'
Street and songs from the purple singing dinosaur Barney are
also on their hit list.
Tennis player: 'I have
the same dream'
"In training, they forced me to listen to the Barney "I Love
You" song for 45 minutes. I never want to go through that SPECIAL REPORT
again," one US operative told the magazine.
Struggle for Iraq

'No lasting effect' RELATED INTERNET LINKS:

US Central Command
UK Ministry of Defence
Rick Hoffman, vice president of the Psy Ops Veterans
Amnesty International
Association, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that such a
Psy Ops Veterans Association
tactic would have no long-lasting effect on prisoners.
The BBC is not responsible for the
content of external internet sites
"The use of this kind of audio-technique is rather new in
TOP MIDDLE EAST STORIES
interrogation," he said.
Iranian scientist 'heading home'
Attack on Yemenatsecurity
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"There have been other kinds of non-lethal, non-harmful 5/5/2011 offices
7:25:45 AM
URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/3042907.stm
 techniques, such as sleep deprivation... which leave no long- Libyan 'Gaza ship' docks in Egypt
lasting effects but do have the end result of breaking down
the individual's will to resist questioning."

Amnesty International told BBC

News Online that at least one
Iraqi captive - a civilian, later
released - had reported being
kept awake for up to four days
by loud music.

"This is an issue that seriously

concerns us. If there is a
prolonged period of sleep The TV theme tunes are repeated
deprivation, it could well be over long periods
considered torture," said a spokeswoman.

"It is a very difficult line to draw between what constitutes

discomfort and what constitutes torture - that line will vary
for individuals and it would depend on each particular case,"
she added.

She said they were looking into whether the US and UK were
abiding by their responsibilities under the Geneva Convention
on the treatment of prisoners of war.

The UK's Ministry of Defence has said all its prisoners are
being held under the terms of the Geneva Convention and are
visited by members of the International Red Cross.

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