[JURIST] Four former Abu Ghraib [JURIST news archive] detainees filed lawsuits [CCR materials] Monday against two private US military contractors and three of their employees, alleging torture, war crimes and civil conspiracy. The former detainees said that employees of CACI International and L-3 Communications [corporate websites], which performed interrogation and interpretation work for the US military, violated the Geneva Convention, the Army Field Manual [texts] and US law by torturing and conspiring to torture the detainees. They further alleged that CACI and L-3 negligently failed to prevent the torture. In a statement [text], CACI responded:

After numerous and thorough government investigations, no CACI employee or former employee has been charged with any misconduct in connection with CACI's interrogation work in Iraq. CACI has unequivocally renounced the abuse that occurred at Abu Ghraib prison and has cooperated fully in all government inquiries of this matter. CACI does not condone or tolerate illegal or inappropriate behavior by any employee when engaged in CACI business.

The men are seeking a jury trial and all remedies available to them, including compensatory damages, punitive damages and court costs. AFP has more.

In May, another former Abu Ghraib detainee filed a lawsuit [JURIST report] against CACI and L-3 alleging torture and conspiracy. Last year, US District Judge James Robertson refused to dismiss [order, PDF; JURIST report] a class action lawsuit [CCR materials] against CACI alleging torture. Robertson dismissed a similar lawsuit against L-3 subsidiary Titan, saying that Titan's translators worked under the military's exclusive supervision and control. Robertson concluded, though, that "a reasonable trier of fact could conclude that CACI retained significant authority to manage its employees." An amended complaint [complaint, PDF; JURIST report] alleged that CACI was responsible for the torture of more than 250 former detainees held in Iraqi prisons.