Senator Clinton Calls for Investigation of Reported Rape and Detention of American Contractor in Iraq

December 12, 2007 -- Washington, DC – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today called for an investigation of allegations by Jamie Leigh Jones that she was brutally raped and forcibly detained while serving as a contractor in Iraq. According to news reports, more than two years later, no United States government agency or department has undertaken a proper investigation of the incident. In a letter, Senator Clinton urged Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Attorney General Michael Mukasey to take swift and immediate action to investigate these allegations.

“These claims must be taken seriously and the U.S. government must act immediately to investigate Ms. Jones’s claims,” Senator Clinton wrote.

The text of Senator Clinton’s letter is below. (Click here for a PDF version.)

The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
United States Department of State
2201 C Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20520

The Honorable Robert M. Gates
Secretary of Defense
The United States Department of Defense
The Pentagon Suite 319
Washington, D.C. 20301

The Honorable Michael Mukasey
Attorney General
United States Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20503

Dear Madam Secretary, Mr. Secretary and Mr. Attorney General:

I write to express my deepest concern about recent news reports that the U.S. government has failed to properly respond in the case of Jamie Leigh Jones, a young American woman who claims that she was brutally raped and detained in Iraq by U.S. contractors. I urge you to take swift action to investigate these allegations immediately.

As I hope you are all aware, recent news accounts indicate that Ms. Jones, a Halliburton/KBR employee in Baghdad, alleges she was gang-raped by her fellow employees and then held under guard against her will in a shipping container in order to prevent her from reporting the horrific crime. She states that she was denied food and water during her detention and told that she would be fired if she left Iraq to seek medical attention. More than two years later, news reports state that no U.S. government agency or department has undertaken a proper investigation of the incident.

These claims must be taken seriously and the U.S. government must act immediately to investigate Ms. Jones’ claims. These allegations implicate all three of your departments. If one of your departments has already launched a private investigation, I urge you to disclose your findings without delay. If no investigation has been started, I urge you to decide the proper course for an inquiry into these claims and to commence your investigation with the utmost urgency.

Sincerely,

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Source: Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton

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