Four former British detainees held at Guantanamo sued the U.S. government yesterday alleging they were tortured at the military prison. They are each seeking $10 million in damages.

UN Criticizes Bush Administration on Torture Policy
Meanwhile the United Nations official charged with monitoring incidents of torture, has sharply criticized the Bush administration and its so-called war on terrorism. Theo van Boven yesterday presented a report that stated ” “The absolute nature of the prohibition of torture and other forms of ill treatment means that no exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification for torture.” It went on to say “No executive, legislative, administrative or judicial measure authorizing recourse to torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment can be considered as lawful under international law.” The report did not name the United States but the New York Times reports the message was aimed squarely at the Bush administration. The UN report comes a day after Amnesty International issued a scathing report that found that that “war mentality” of the Bush administrations had led the government to torture detainees and commit other human rights abuses. Amnesty said the violations of international law were “due to a failure of human rights leadership at the highest levels of government.”