[JURIST] Britain ran a secret prison at Bad Nenndorf in northwest Germany that tortured and starved to death inmates for two years after the end of World War II, according to a Saturday report from the Guardian. Inmates included Nazi party members, former members of the SS, suspected spies, and successful businessmen who had done well under Hitler's regime. UK Foreign Office [official website] files about Bad Nenndorf were recently released after a request was made under the Freedom of Information Act [text]. The Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre (CSDIC), a division of the War Office with interrogation centers around the world including the London Cage interrogation center [Guardian report], operated Bad Nenndorf for 22 months before its closure in July, 1947. Scotland Yard's [official website] Inspector Tom Hayward investigated complaints made by prisoners and found that 372 men and 44 women passed through Bad Nenndorf while it was open, and were subject to several different forms of torture. Hayward's investigation lead to the courts-martial of commanding officer Robin Stephens, medical officer Captain John Smith, and interrogator Lieutenant Richard Langham. A number of sergeants were pardoned for giving evidence against their superiors. Stephens and Langham were acquitted, while Smith was found guilty of neglect of inmates. Reuters has more.
News