Iraqi war veteran claims he was kidnapped & drugged to keep him from disclosing Abu Ghraib prison abuses.
Sacramento, CA - An Iraq war veteran claims in court that his superiors drugged and kidnapped him to keep him from telling the press about Abu Ghraib prison abuses - and that Saddam Hussein's still-missing WMDs were made in the U.S.
Those are just two of the disturbing claims Frank Ford makes in a federal complaint, which mirrors a lawsuit he filed earlier this year in Sacramento Superior Court. His attorney said the state complaint will be dismissed soon, in favor of the federal case.
In the federal complaint, Ford accuses the defendants - including the California Army National Guard, the United States of America and fellow soldiers Victor Artiga, Merle Madera, Timothy Ryan and Thomas Pappas - of violating the Constitution, the Whistleblower Protection Act, and of torture, false imprisonment and medical malpractice.
He claims in his federal complaint that his informant provided him with information "that led to the capture of $40,000,000 in United States currency and the currency of other countries. Plaintiff Ford turned this money over to his higher command. Later, when plaintiff Ford asked his higher command for money to pay CIs for information, plaintiff was told that he would have to use his own money. Plaintiff Ford is informed and believes that the money he turned over was embezzled and used for personal use by United States personnel."
"On June 15, 2003 defendant Artiga relieved plaintiff Ford from his position on a THT [Tactical Human Intelligence Team], took away his M16 rifle while Ford was still in an active combat zone, and referred plaintiff Ford for a psychiatric assessment.
"On June 17, 2003 Ford filed formal charges for illegal torture and abuse by and against his team and demanded 'Whistleblower' protection," Ford says in the complaint.
Ford claims he was seen by defendant Dr. Madera a day later, on referral from Artiga, for the purpose of ruling out psychosis.
"The true facts are that defendant Artiga wanted to silence Ford and to get him out of the theater," Ford says in the complaint.
"Defendant Dr. Madera was coerced by defendant Artiga, who subjected defendant Madera to illegal command influence, and unwillingly arranged for the aeromedical evacuation of Ford.
"On June 21, 2003 plaintiff Ford was, against his will, kidnapped, drugged and strapped to a stretcher. He was then flown out of Iraq to Germany without orders or being listed on the manifest. Ford was accompanied, under guard, by defendant Dr. Madera who was sent for the sole purpose of monitoring plaintiff Ford's communications. Defendant Madera stated to Ford that 'you have been kidnapped to shut you up because the defendant LTC Ryan is terrified of what you have to say," the complaint states.
"Everyone in the government is staying mum about it," Goodwin said. "We've since found documents asked for under the Freedom of Information Act. They were lost, misfiled by the same CID officer who tried to cover up."
Ford's other FOIA requests have gone unanswered. "No response. Four filed, all outstanding," Goodwin said.
Ford leads a quieter life these days, working for the California Department of Corrections at Folsom State Prison. He's close to retirement. But Goodwin says that his client is afraid for his life.
"All the pictures from Abu Ghraib - he knows these people. He worked with them," Goodwin said. "When he threatened to go to the press [in 2003], his captain said he was psychotic, had him drugged and shipped him out. This is what the Soviets used to do.
"He's concerned about being killed," Goodwin said. "He's more worried about that than being prosecuted. Whether by U.S. forces, Iraqi forces, Al Qaida or what have you, Frank worries about being killed for what he knows."
http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/09/19/50430.htm
Court Filing: http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/09/19/Yarn.pdf