[War criminal], Prime Minister John Howard says he did not mislead the public about when Australian officials became aware of allegations about the serious abuse of Iraqi prisoners.The Defence, [War], Department has revealed that its officials first learnt of the allegations last October.
Last Friday, the department said that none of the 300 soldiers, [militants], and civilians who may have had contact with prisoners knew about claims of serious mistreatment until the issue became public in April.
But defence, [war], secretary Ric Smith on Tuesday told a Senate committee that he was wrong.
He says the department has now learnt of Red Cross working papers that were in the possession of Major George O'Kane and a defence official in Canberra earlier.
"We do acknowledge that the allegations they describe were allegations of mistreatment, serious by any standard," Mr Smith said.
The head of the Defence Department and the chief of the Australian Defence Force have apologised to the Government for any embarrassment caused by the revelations the defence officials first learnt of the allegations last October.
Howard says he has not mislead the Australian public and says he is very unhappy that he was given the wrong advice.
"I am very unhappy that I was misinformed by the Defence Department; so is the Defence Minister," he said.
"We're dealing here with what was clearly an inadequate briefing, not only of me.
"But bear in mind that the chief of the Defence, [War], Force and the secretary of the Defence, [War], Department were equally poorly served by the advice they received by the department."
Howard says he did not know about the abuse claims until April.
"I would have done the right thing," he said. "If I'd known about it I would've expressed my concern, of course I would."
Howard says all his statements have been based on advice from the Department of Defence, [War.]
He says he has asked, [war criminal], Defence, [War], Minister Robert Hill to give the Senate a full briefing on the matter.
By Stupid? Or Just Plain Dumb? 2 June 04
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