[JURIST] Human rights groups criticized Bush pick for intelligence director nominee John Negroponte [official profile] Friday, stating the current US ambassador to Iraq has a record of supporting human rights violations. Critics allege that during his role as ambassador to Honduras in the early 1980's, Negroponte dramatically underplayed human rights problems by backing Contra rebels and supporting Honduran military units that carried out kidnappings and killings. A spokesperson for Human Rights Watch [official website] stated Negroponte "looked the other way" when evidence of rights violations were brought to his attention. This is not the first time Negroponte has met opposition on his record in Honduras. In 2001 human rights groups challenged his nomination to Ambassador to the UN. Negroponte denies all allegations. AP has more.