Iraqi man sues, alleging torture

An Iraqi man has filed a lawsuit against two U.S. military contractors, alleging he was repeatedly tortured while being held at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq for more than 10 months.

Emad al-Janabi alleges in his lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles federal court Monday, that he was abused beginning in September 2003 by employees of CACI International Inc. and L-3 Communications Holdings Inc., which was formerly Titan Corp. Also named as a defendant is CACI interrogator Steven Stefanowicz, known as “Big Steve.” The suit alleges that he directed torture tactics.

Al-Janabi said he was punched and slammed into walls, hung from a bed frame and kept naked and handcuffed in his cell.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages.

Al-Janabi, 43, said he was detained by U.S. troops during a late-night raid in which he and his family were beaten by their captors. He said he was taken to a military base where he was stripped naked, a hood was placed on his head and his hands and legs were chained. He was released in July 2004 and wasn’t charged with any crime, according to the lawsuit.

Two separate civil lawsuits were previously filed against CACI and Titan and made similar allegations. The suit against Titan, now L-3, was dismissed. The lawsuit against CACI is ongoing and is on behalf of 257 Iraqis.