Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Sept 8, 2011 23:16:00 GMT 12
Retired commander signals abuse cover-up
ONE News - TVNZ | 7:03PM - Thursday, 08 September 2011
Sir Bruce Ferguson on the set of TVNZ's Media7.
— Source: ONE News.
THE MAN in charge of the Defence Force at the time New Zealand first joined the war in Afghanistan has admitted there may have been cover-ups of Kiwi soldiers criticising allies for mistreating prisoners.
Retired Air Marshall Sir Bruce Ferguson was a trusted commander of New Zealand forces as they went to fight the Taliban and al Qaeda.
He retired five years ago to run the country's spy agency, including the Waihopai spy base.
Last night, Sir Bruce joined a panel on TVNZ's Media7, seated alongside author Nicky Hager, author of the recently released book Other People's Wars.
The controversial book claims military officials have not revealed the true extent of their operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
During the recording of an online segment, Media7 host Russell Brown asked Sir Bruce what he thought of Kiwi soldiers blowing the whistle on prisoner abuse in Afghanistan.
"They may well have gone to their commanding officers, and their commanding officers, to use their words ‘covered it up’," he said.
Sir Bruce's comments may strengthen war-critics calls for a public inquiry into the allegations of abuse.
However, Foreign Minister Murray McCully is keen to keep it off the agenda for now.
He said he wished to see the footage before commenting.
• Startling prisoner abuse concession (1min-36sec video clip)
tvnz.co.nz/national-news/retired-commander-signals-abuse-cover-up-4394059
