Abu Ghraib case against CACI dismissed

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/abu-ghraib-case-against-caci-dismissed/2013/06/26/0a961b70-de7f-11e2-948c-d644453cf169_story.html

Abu Ghraib case against CACI dismissed
By Marjorie Censer, Published: June 26

Arlington-based CACI International secured a long-fought victory Wednesday when a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit alleging its employees directed mistreatment of detainees at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

The judge did not explicitly rule on CACI’s role in the alleged abuse, instead deciding that because the incidents happened overseas, the U.S. District Court in Alexandria does not have jurisdiction to hear the case.

The decision, which the plaintiffs have vowed to appeal, could have broad implications for the growing corps of contractors who accompany U.S. troops around the world and are tasked with sensitive jobs. CACI’s employees, who conducted interrogation and other tasks at the Iraqi prison, were accused of being part of a group of conspirators who allegedly abused and tortured four detainees between 2003 and 2004.

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The case is likely to spark renewed debate about the proper role of government contractors and what legal protection they should receive when acting on behalf of the military.