Group Alleges China Role at Guantanamo

Chinese officials directed some interrogations of their countrymen being held by the U.S. military at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, human rights organization Amnesty International alleged this week.

A Pentagon spokeswoman, Lt. Cmdr. Barbara Burfeind, declined to comment on the allegation.

In a statement, Amnesty International said it had received credible reports that a Chinese delegation visited Guantanamo in September 2002.

“During this time, the detainees were subjected to intimidation and threats, and to ‘stress and duress’ techniques such as environmental manipulation, forced sitting for many hours and sleep deprivation, some of which is alleged to have been on the instruction of the Chinese delegation,” the organization said.

Amnesty International did not identify its sources. The interrogations were of ethnic Uighurs, a Muslim people who live in western China, it said. Some Uighurs were captured in Afghanistan fighting alongside members of Al Qaeda and the Taliban.