Re: PGW Ex-POW was Abu Ghraid Prisoner

Date: May 12, 2004

"Local Gulf War POW - Former Abu Ghraib Prisoner

Air Force pilot Jeff Tice was shot down during the Gulf War. He was abused, tortured, humiliated. A U.S. federal court recently awarded him millions of dollars in compensation. But the same country he fought for during the war -- the United States -- is now trying to stop him from receiving the money he deserves.

(May 12) -- Pictures of Iraqi prisoners being mistreated and humiliated at the hands of American soldiers are grabbing worldwide headlines. The abuse occurred in the Abu Ghraib prison -- an old, rundown, cockroach-infested facility where Saddam Hussein once tormented his own countrymen. One local man, a former American POW was tortured and abused in that very same prison during the first Gulf War.

Eyewitness News has the exclusive interview. This is much more than just a story about living in captivity. Air Force pilot Jeff Tice was shot down during the Gulf War. He was abused, tortured, humiliated. A U.S. federal court recently awarded him millions of dollars in compensation. But the same country he fought for during the war -- the United States -- is now trying to stop him from receiving the money he deserves.

Jeff Tice, former POW: "It's a rather brutal experience. I was essentially beaten, tortured and starved. Whenever I was interrogated, I had a bag over my head and was chained to a chair."

For forty-five days he lived as a prisoner of war, tortured at the hands of the Saddam Hussein regime.

Jeff Tice, former POW: "Several times in my captivity, I was electrocuted. When I didn't answer or answered a question they didn't particularly find as the correct answer, they would turn on the juice. Very debilitating, extremely uncomfortable, not something anyone wants to go through."

For Jeff Tice, the vivid memories parallel the physical pain he still suffers today.

Jeff Tice: "Right now, I have some permanent nerve damage from being chained to the chair."

Tice spent part of his captivity in the Abu Ghraib prison, the same facility where pictures surfaced of American soldiers allegedly abusing Iraqi POW's.

Jeff Tice: "I've been on the receiving end of that, I know what it's like. I've been in that prison. I know what it's like there. It's not a pleasant place."

Last year, Tice and sixteen other Gulf War POW's won a $959 million settlement against Iraq for their suffering. Tice's share is $26 million. A U.S. district court judge awarded the money -- money to be taken from frozen Iraqi assets. But now, the U.S. State Department is interfering saying the settlement money is needed for the urgent rebuilding of Iraq.

Tice says it's a slap in the face from his own country, especially after hearing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld say that these prisoners of war will be compensated with U.S. tax dollars for their suffering.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld: "I'm seeking a way to provide appropriate compensation to those detainees who suffered such grievous and brutal abuse and cruelty. It's the right thing to do."

Jeff Tice: "I thought it was utterly unfair for Secretary Rumsfled to say we're going to pay these Iraqi prisoners from U.S. funds, at the same time, our own government is blocking us from receiving compensation from Iraqi funds."

Tice has little optimism he'll ever see the money. He says, "It's very likely we're not going to see very much of it, if any of it."

But Tice says it's not about the money, it's about sending a message to foreign governments that abusing American POW's will not be tolerated.

Tice is working with senator Harry Reid and other Nevada leaders to try and get the money. If he does receive his settlement, he says one-third of the $26 million will be donated to the POW Foundation to help future prisoners of war. But now, with government lawyers vying for the money, he doesn't believe he'll get it.

Tice's story of survival is amazing. He lost 40 pounds in captivity. He says every day; the prison guards would boil meat for dinner. The POW's were then given a cup of the broth used to boil the meat. Other than that, they ate insects -- or anything else they found crawling around their cells.

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