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Show AS DAILY Friday, March 10, 2006 HERALD Border patrol agents Doctors object to force-feeding at Guantanamo Bay prison | Carol Rosenberg MIAMI — More than250 physicians fromaround the world are condemning the Pentagon's practice of forcefeeding suspectedterrorists at Guantariamo Bay, Cuba, ina letter in Friday's edition of the British medical journal Lancet “Fundamental to doctors’ responsibilities in attending a hungerstriker is the recognition that prisoners have a right to refuse treatment,” says the letter, which accusesthe U.S. militaryof violating medical ethics. Physicians whosigned the letter include former military doctors, psychiatrists, gastroenterologists, pathologists and generalpractitioners fromBrit- ain, the United States, South Africa, German) in Johannesburg during apartheid. Theprotest in the prestigious argue that they cannot allow a a New York Timesreport that U.S. military medical personnel at the base have beenoverseeing force-feedings of hunger strikers. The captives have been strapped intorestraint to Guantanamoprocedures, heis fed liquids through a tube journal comesontheheels of chairsin coldcells to get them to eat on their own, the Times said. “Weurgethe U.S. govern- mentto ensurethat detainees are assessed by independent physicians and that techniques such as force-feeding and re- straint chairs are abandoned, forthwith in accordance with internationally agreed stan- dards,” theletter said. The Pentagonsaid in a statement Thursday night that Guantanamodetainees are and the Netherlands: They “treated humanelyand are being provided with excellent cian John Kalk, whorefused to force-feed hungerstrikers doctors follow federal prison guidelines for feeding prison- included South African physi- medical care.” It added that ers with tubes “These dangerous men are held in an environmentthat is stable, secure, safe, and hu- Letterato the mane,” Eoitoronline the Pentagonsaid. S. commandersat the GuantanamoBayNavy Base - wwwheraldextra.com have been struggling for nearly four years to cope with the consequences of hungerstriking protests by some of the nearly 500 captives. They captive tostarve himself. After a detainee refuses nine consecutive meals, according | face smuggling charges fast, drew noticelast year by running the London Marathon in the garb of a Guantanamo detainee — wearing an orange jumpsuit and chains. | Richard Marosi | SAN DIEGO — Twosupervisory U.S. Border Patrol agents establish the much-heralded Guide Identification Prosecution Program, now knownas Op- LOS ANGELES TIMES Nicholl said he became aware of Guantanamo's forcefeeding practices through a Navy doctor's affidavit attached to a habeas-corpuspetition in a U.S.civilian court. Hehas since written the Navy doctor's medical asso- | } Nicholl, a neurologist at Queen stripped ofhis license. | ham, England, whoorganized the letter-writing campaign in engaging in a form of “mutual Russian Roulette.” released apprehended illegal aliens in eccteres for cash, pulling in about $300,000,ac| cording to a federal indictment | unsealed Thursday. HeFisted potentiallifethreatening complicationsof forcefeedings: a collapsed lung, if the tube is inserted improperly; pneumonia; chest infection; and injuring a captive struggling free will to starve themselves | 44, and Samuel McClaren,43, thatis snaked downhis nose andinto his stomach. Guantanamoofficials defend fe nepractice as humane in court ilings. “Thisis not a no-risk procedure. Eventually someone is goingto die,” said David Elizabeth Hospital in BirmingEurope. againststraps andrestraints The physicians assert U.S. military medicineis being unethical by engagingin the prac- tice — and that-even U.S. Navy doctors should comply with a hungerstriker’s wish, because heis a patientfirst, a prisoner second. Theletter writers say the World Medical Association ciation seeking to have him “If they choose of their own | doesn't hold water. You are reviving them in effect through program have been charged with smuggling migrants for a Mexican trafficking organization. The agents, both stationed in California’s Imperial Valley, charged in the United States because federal authorities lack the resources and detention space. also released captured members of a Mexican smuggling ring, prosecutorsallege. prisoner Bobby Sands to starve werearrested Thursday, face potential 15-year prison terms. The eight-count indictment, includes conspiracy, alien smuggling and bribery charges. someIrish prisoners,hesaid, the very best, epitomize the very worst,” said Daniel R. ties allowed Irish Republican himself to death in 1981, rather than force-feed him. The English did force-feed court and the prisoners were declared mentally unfit. begsthe question,if you'veee throughlast year. El Centrois about 90 miles east of San Diego andabout 8 miles north of the border. “The agents arrested today, whoare supposed to represent butonly after family went to Nicholls dismissed such an alternative at Guantanamo.“It The pilot program adminis- tered by Alvarez and McClaren was so successful that the two agents helped expandit across the Southwest border by training other BorderPatrol agents. Alvarez worked with the Mexican liaisonunit in the Border Patrol’s El Centro sector from November 2002 through last year, and McClaren worked onit from July 2003 The agents, Mario Alvarez, Alvarez and McClaren, who torture,” he said. In the case of NorthernIreland, Nicholls said, the authori- feeding in the Declaration of Nicholl, who was bornin Bel- | to death, the argumentthat you're savingtheir lives just specifically prohibits force- has signed Underthe program,alien smugglers who are not going to be prosecuted in the United States are handed over to Mexican authorities for prosecution. Many smugglersare not ful cross-border anti-smuggling Both sides there, he said, are | Tokyo and Malta, which the American Medical Association | eration against Smugglers and Traffickers Initiative on Safety andSecurity. who helped establish a success- In an interview two years Dzwilewski,special agent in ago, Alvarez and McClarenex- charge at the FBI's San Diego pressed pridein the program's success, saying they had helped lock up dozens of smugglers office. Authorities said the investi| gation is continuing. The two who endangered the lives of agents are scheduled to be ar- migrants by taking them across perilous desert and mountain raigned Fridayin U.S.District Court in San Diego. somebody who is mentallyill, is Guantanamotheright place for them?” routes. “The main purpose of the program is to savelives,” McClarensaid at the time. Attorneys for Alvarez and Alvarez and McClaren helped Soe McClarenwerenot available for comment. Newsoftheir arrest shocked BorderPatrol agents, who described Alvarez and McClaren as hard-working, competent officers. “They weregivena lot of credit for the fact thatit worked,” said one agent, who spokeon condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media. Men's, Ladies’, Juniors’ & Kids’ Alvarez and McClarenbuilt cases against smugglers, usu- ally foot guides called coyotes, by taking statements from Apparel, aloes, Accessories & More migrants. Those statements were turned over to Mexican authorities to obtain arrest warrants from judges. Mexican prosecutorsthen re-interviewed the migrants and submitted the statements, which were often sufficient to win convictions. Typically summoned'to help by other agents after large apprehensions, McClaren and Alvarez had wide leeway in the handling of the migrants and suspected smugglers. Federalauthorities said they took advantageof their trusted positionto earnbig profits, which they put directly into their personal bank accounts. Alvarez deposited $82,000; McClaren deposited $85,900. Alvarez and McClarenallegedly hadties to the Javier Sanchez-Perfino smuggling organi- SAVE ON GREAT SELECTION OF Fashion Apparel, olOes, zation, meeting with members in person or conferring with them by phone. They allegedly delivered or arranged to deliver apprehended aliens to the organization at locations near E] Centro Boots & More otorewide and Calexico,including a stash house. The organization would then transport the migrants to Los Angeles. Two membersof the organization arelisted as alleged co-conspirators, but are not charged in the indictment. The agentsare accused of drivingtwo membersofthe: Javier Sanchez-Perfino organizationinto the United States in their governmentvehicle in September 2004 for a $4,000 payoff. On another occasion in October 2005, the agentsallegedly falsified documents by stating that they had returned a smuggler to Mexico, when they had actually picked him up at an immigration processing center in El Centro and dropped him off in the Wal-Mart parking lot. The arrestsarethe latest involving agents from the El Centro Border Patrol sector, which stretches from the Imperial Valley to the Arizona border. An agent pleaded guilty last year to smuggling several hundred pounds of marij ina Border Patrolvehicle. Two other agents were caught in Mey by Mexican authorities w! they allegedly tried to ek 1,300 rounds of ammunition into " Mexicali. SAVE 73% LADIES’ INVESTMENTS CASHMERE SWEATERS. & WESTBOUND SEPARATES Ail merchandise is selected unless otherwise noted. hand, Basic, ee Open a new Dillard’s Credit Card: "1 and gift cards. 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