Reports the AP on Rep. Slaughter:
A Democratic congresswoman on Wednesday cited the case of an Iraqi Associated Press photographer imprisoned by the U.S. military during debate on a prisoner treatment bill that she considers too harsh.In a House speech, Rep. Louise Slaughter referred to Bilal Hussein, who has been detained in Iraq for more than five months.
"He was accused of aiding and abetting the insurgency, but he has yet to be charged with any crime," said Slaughter, D-N.Y. She noted that the AP has demanded that Hussein either be released or charged so that he can be turned over to the Iraqi court system for trial.
Slaughter also wrote Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld asking that he "immediately resolve" Hussein's case.
"Imagine if another nation held an American citizen without charging him of a crime?" she asked. "What are we supposed to say about our country today?"
Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., responded to Slaughter's statements by saying he was "proud that we extend protections to our adversaries that they do not extend to us, and I'm proud that in the few cases where there are transgressions those are vigorously prosecuted and exposed by this country."
