The World : Iraq Death Squads Assailed

Amnesty International accused Iraq and five other countries of the widespread use of death squads. The London-based group told the U.N. Human Rights Commission in Geneva that most death squads, while appearing to operate independently, actually are set up by government security forces and are directed and manned by soldiers or police. The human rights group singled out Iraq as having the worst reputation for use of the squads--”clearly and incontrovertibly, (it) presents a situation of the most flagrant and massive violation of human rights”--but it also named Colombia, El Salvador, Peru, Ethiopia and Burma.