Detention Facility Goes Above and Beyond

Photo By Sgt. Barbara Ospina | Detainees at the Bastogne Internment Facility on Forward Operating Base (FOB) Warrior in Kirkuk hold copies of the Koran. An Imam from the Iraqi Army comes onto the FOB to lead the detainees in worship.  

KIRKUK, IRAQ

03.10.2006

Courtesy Story

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KIRKUK, Iraq (March 8, 2006) -- Soldiers and leaders of the Forward Operating Base Warrior detention facility are well aware of their guidelines and regulations when it comes to their detainees, but have taken extra consideration and are going above and beyond when it comes to the detainee's religious practices.

As a result of coordination between Chap. (Capt.) Todd Claypool, the 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team chaplain, and Chap. (Capt.) Emad Khasram Salih, 2nd Iraqi Army Brigade, prayer visits in the base detention facilities has become a regular occurrence.

"I am proud to do it," Salih said. "Whether it's Soldiers or civilians, they need to pray and it's my job to help the people."

Salih's prayers are of great value to the detainees, because he holds the title of an Imam. An Imam is a prayer leader of a mosque.
A prayer session with an Imam is not the only gesture the Soldiers running the facility have made to help the detainees practice their religion to their cultural standards.

"We always have Korans and prayer rugs available for them," said 1st Lt. Erika Frederick, the 1st BCT Military Police platoon leader. "We want them to be able to practice their religion freely."

According to Frederick, the detainees are not permitted to wear a watch, which means they have no concept of when their prayer times are. Guards at the facility have posted prayer times, and the facility guards make rounds to let the detainees know when the time arrives.

Within the cities, during the three prayer times, the Imam of the town will play a prayer over a speaker system for all to hear during their prayers.

"We are coordinating with Chaplain Salih to get a tape of the prayers so we can play it for them," Frederick said. "Religion is important, so we try to facilitate it even more than required."

• Date Taken: 03.10.2006
• Date Posted: 03.10.2006 15:57
• Story ID: 5666
• Location: KIRKUK, IQ