Were Gitmo Murders Covered Up As Suicides? - Interview with Joseph Hickman

What really happened at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility on the night of June 9, 2006?
According to the US government, three detainees - all imprisoned as part of the global war on terror - hung themselves in their cells that night. But Army Staff Sergeant Joseph Hickman, who was on guard that night at Camp Delta, came to believe something very different: that the three men were murdered in a secret CIA black site at Guantanamo.
After leaving the Army, Hickman spent years looking into the deaths. His investigation has led him to write a new book, Murder at Camp Delta.
Hickman sat down for the first time on camera with VICE News to tell the story of his investigation and what he learned about what happened that night in 2006.
Read "Evil Sponge Bob and Satan: Inside a Guantanamo Bay Prison Riot" - bit.ly/1ARDYno
Read "How Guantanamo Became America’s Interrogation 'Battle Lab'" - bit.ly/1Ilm25E
Watch "Guantanamo: Black Out Bay" - bit.ly/1wQh4Xh
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[@SteveSalstrand]

Someone needed to have oversight in gitmo, and I applaud Hickman for having the strength to stand up and bring this to light. That said, it looks like his nerves have seen better days and it's a shame to see this honorable service member have to walk such a hard road alone. Thank you, Hickman, for your service to our country!

[@Umkarz]

A murderer he is and an idiot you are.

[@boothman9321]

I wish the American government just came out and said "Yeah, we tortured and killed enemies of the state. We'd do it again too, lmao."

[@LogicVsFacts]

It make sense.

[@boothman9321]

@Bear Buck Maybe a few protests, and activist groups would sue. But the majority of Americans would: not care, not hear about it, support it, post about how terrible it is on social media for attention, and then maybe 1% of those would sue or make an attempt to actually advocate for the prisoners.

[@anonymousmuslim4876]

They never will because their whole propaganda scheme is to appear as the "good guy"

[@aussie.clippa]

That would be good.. rather the hypocrisy

[@is0zy]

Terrorists? People are missing the point that most of them are there with nothing against them and that's gitmo problem...

[@thomasackerly7732]

C.I.A. CRIMINALS IN ACTION going to get the book hope he ok. This guy

[@thomasackerly7732]

Johan Van de voet but u know that Truth

[@dillonp5641]

Nn

[@dbt7624]

I don’t care and will never care what anyone says little do you know that if the cia didn’t do what they do the world would be and look different

[@jessicaxhanning2111]

The CIA has way too much power... More than the president, really.

[@maxokream6269]

What’s the book called?

[@StarCrusher.]

How can the US still call themselves a place of justice and freedom?

[@MrTwiddlez]

Because this is bull shit? It's mainly speculation.

[@Grabbagar670]

The people in camp delta in gitmo arent US citizens, theyre terrorists and war criminals.

[@Mohammad-Darwish]

Marcus Washington kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYrRdapnh8qJntk

[@NeutralExistence]

Kyle Stamps Since when does some one becoming a 'terrorist' or a 'war criminal' override their citizenship? You know you sound a-lot like the German Fascists did in 1930's... Anyways, where is your proof these people were even convicted of a crime?

[@Grabbagar670]

They were never US citizens you dumbass. And if you want to see proof of a trial, then you need to talk to the government. Theyre in gitmo for a reason.

[@ftffighter]

I hope the Gov't doesn't kill this whistleblower for being in this interview...

[@VICENews]

Hickman sat down for the first time on camera with VICE News to tell the story of his investigation and what he learned about what happened that night in 2006. Read "Evil Sponge Bob and Satan: Inside a Guantanamo Bay Prison Riot" - bit.ly/1ARDYno

[@polygamous1]

+Vince Hanna According to the times at the time most if not all where handed to the us for the bounty money as the report said when some had grudges against someone they used to hand them over for the bounty money as most where gang lords it was a real mess there specially that time no one likes terrorist but to kill many cause some might be terrorist? where is the justice there?

[@user-rn3gw4qg3k]

Well, I'm DISCLOSING.

[@GlenCychosz]

Thank you for mentioning that Naval Station Guantanamo Bay is a navy base and that Guantanamo Bay detention facility is on it. To many people think the entire base is a detention facility.

[@Unclebubba1]

It's a lot more just the Detention facility... Btw the McDonald's on base sucks and the guards are treated just as bad...

[@nortonman5238]

@@Unclebubba1 lol love this comment

[@teenoneofyabusiness1424]

@@Unclebubba1 cry me a river guards get treated just as bad what a joke

[@Unclebubba1]

@@teenoneofyabusiness1424 have you been there? Do you have any clue what you are talking about?

[@saharaalfie697]

***..Thank you sir for your courage .. ***

[@Animeman36]

Welcome to the vice news comment section where your going to get as much compassion as the third Reich gave to the Jews.

[@subbus1949]

"Safe, humane, legal transparent" - That's funny, because it was the opposite of each of those.

[@HisCarlnessI]

To those complaining that Vice is just trying to sell his book, if you'd actually pay attention you'd notice that they picked the questions very carefully, and neutrally. They kind of left it up to the audience to decide on credibility and the like.

[@truethought2581]

Fkn libtards..... guys are un fkn real. These are terrorists..... fk em.

[@celticconlanger6401]

@@truethought2581 Tha thu glè ghòrach, nach eil?

[@ta13oo76]

@@truethought2581 you really replying to this comment 6 years later 😂

[@Shirrage]

If he says that they weren't supposed to talk about it, I'm wondering what might happen to him once the government finds out that he's speaking out.

[@sully6651]

Nothing it's bull

[@vincehanna6888]

Nice work Mr. President, 5 Top Terrorists for 1 AWOL Deserter.

[@john02131]

This is BS. If they were attempting to stop hunger strikes by these three prisoners they would have isolated them, not murdered them.

[@mrpfeil3811]

Hollywood buys Marines cheap

[@ZAl-qh6ec]

Thanks for being honest ❤️ would love to read your book.

[@SuperSweardown]

Genuine guy, even if he wasn't I'd still put my nan on it being true

[@TheKdizzle1971]

your nan? wtf is that?

[@KatieBlue16]

@@TheKdizzle1971 hi, 'Nan' is the term us brits use for our grandmother

[@TheKdizzle1971]

@@KatieBlue16 lol

[@KatieBlue16]

@@TheKdizzle1971 thought I'd join the party... Late, I know, but still.... Haha

[@SUPER3OH3FAN1]

Is this the full interview?

[@johngates2602]

Respect sir for stood up for the truth 🙏

[@s0nnyburnett]

No way man the government is totally open about this kind of stuff and would never lie. They told me so.

[@JoeMama-eu7wn]

Great interview by Vice

[@livewellwitheds6885]

any motto that's safe humane and legal isn't that.....

[@Sachaztan]

Safe, Humane, Legal, Transparent? Did they take cues when they made that motto from the "peoples" "democratic" "republic" of Korea?

[@alafpolo862]

Brave Man!

[@bballkid7409]

My favorite term is “war crime” it’s so fucking funny to hear someone use it with a straight face.

[@MrTwiddlez]

Trust me, there's a high chance they didn't kill themselves. As much as everyone else would love to kill those terrorists, they didn't. I have a feeling the guy they interviewed is lying too, last time there was an LRRP was in Vietnam, and since then they've been attached to the 75th Rangers. Even so, how the fuck could he go from the Maryland National guard to LRRP? Trust me, Guantanamo isn't as bad as people say it is...maybe back at the early stages of the Iraq/Afghan war, yeah. But now the Government is so "politically correct" and worried about it's national image, that there's no way in hell that anyone would do most of this stuff. Too much paperwork, too much risk of getting DD'd, etc. etc.

[@enigmaPL]

US government worried about political correctness and paperwork? It's un-fucking-believable how naive you people are. I guess that's why the US and every other government gets away with these things.

[@HisCarlnessI]

Yeah, I found a couple things fishy about the guy's story. First off, that he was allowed to follow the clandestine activities of the vehicle in question in such an open and observed environment. Second off, some of his details of the story seemed to shift a little from sentence to sentence. Thirdly, wouldn't he have proof somewhere of what his official titles and duties were, even if the things he saw were classified?

[@NeutralExistence]

Why would anyone trust you?

[@JGZulu]

They still have LRRP units at the divisional level.

[@MrTwiddlez]

enigmaPL Yeah, them now allowing dudes with criminal records, tattoos, bad eyesight, etc. should be a newflash to you...we're pretty politically correct brah. When my buds went down to Afghanistan, they couldn't even shoot back until 30minutes after receiving fire.

[@maxx1000]

Consider this... What type of person tells the viewer of bad things that telling other people means you'll be punished by the perpetrator? Child molesters... Rapists... anyone who seeks to hide their crimes.

[@DustuLokVanish]

I came here just to read hate comments.

[@xUnleadedx]

they were probably waterboarded to death...rags in the throat? they do that when they waterboard someone

[@jamespatterson1905]

Incredible evil. This kind of evil is so grave, bad things will happen to America.

[@shaheedaessack6142]

When Allah created the angel Jibraeel, the first word Jibraeel heard from Allah was the word HAQQ which means TRUTH. Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik

[@George-rc2im]

Terrorists will not be treated with comfort and civility.

[@naterciatorres7919]

but they are not terrorists tho . look at hiroshima & nagasaki , who had the nuclear weapons ? who did the damage ? US were the ones that went overseas to attack them first , so why do you keep looking to this humans as terrorists ? when we did the exact same thing ?

[@umayrc3712]

@@naterciatorres7919 thank god someone had their Eyes open

[@jasonconley771]

probably keeps more in touch with the detainees

[@ersinemre877]

Killing those 3 detainees saved many other detainees life. What is wrong about it? He admits hunger strike over after it.

[@johnquimby1568]

This guy's a true patriot right here. Speaking up for the truth and what's right. Also, all the people calling the detainees "terrorists", they were alleged, not confirmed. Everyone knows that many innocent people went to Gitmo.

[@darrelnormandy6867]

this dudes history makes no sense to me 1.I don't think you would move from the National guard to a lrrp unit 2. im pretty sure we dont have lrrp units any more. 3.i dont understand if we did have lrrp units why the hell they would be sent to GITMO to guard detainees. i call BS on this guy, vice you got to do better screening with the people you interview because i think you guys have the best journalistic integrity out of any one, be careful and don't let it slip just becuase your digging for the story you want.

[@davemeads859]

Has he had an "accident" yet 🥺

[@Shaunt1]

How about shut it down already?

[@elvinad4422]

The guy who is talking to the reporter seems to be very kind hearted and does not seem to fully endorse what's going on in GITMO!Wether things have changed remains to be seen!

[@ryanemery7755]

Based on this interview there is a definite lack of facts and hard evidence to back up this guys claims. For example: the fact that this guy can't formulate an accurate timeline that can conclusively rule out that the detainees could of hung themselves. I personally have known several people that have been guards and other types of security personnel at GITMO and while it is widely known that interrogations of prisoners do occur (to varying degrees) It is also widely known that the various human rights groups that visit GITMO on a regular basis would have a field day with the news of a death that was at all suspicious. There also seems to be a disturbing trend of former military personnel that want to play up their mediocre stories in some kind of get rich quick scheme usually in the form of a book.

[@oceanstaiga5928]

It's still classified. Oh.

[@3366yerffej]

Ashamed to be American yet? I'm ashamed to be Canadian for my rulers supporting American rulers.

[@josephpfalzgraf4213]

I thank you sir for your bravery and it must be a hard thing to live with for it is a hard thing to live with what's going on nowadays and I cry a lot for our country and I cry a lot for the American because we are so doomed. I do believe we are doomed and we will not have America like we have that will be taken over by a dictator or by the Chinese or someone who is behind all this corruption in our government in America. I thank you sir very much for standing up people like you are very special and we'll have a place in heaven one day thank you so very much

[@mohammadsiddiqullah4194]

Thanks God the war is over.

[@nooooo49]

it is not over ! is war is countie intel the day of jugment

[@ArcticSlicer]

Guantanamo Bay is our nation's greatest shame.

[@muhammedabbasi5176]

Not even one person in gitmo was found guilty of anything ibdare anyonento try to find this evidance from a TRUSTED source

[@NeutralExistence]

darkann What happens when you are the one in the camp? Should we then stick up for you and your right to a trail? I think you'd be playing a different tune then.

[@darkann5490]

NeutralExistence American rights are for Americans and those under the jurisdiction of the states or U.S territories. There are many places where I wouldn't get a trial or a fair trial it is no different for me. Why am I not granted U.S rights in Nigeria?

[@johanneszapo6089]

@@darkann5490 But it is a human right u idiot

[@beatletoons6645]

must have been a very stressful time , writing that book and then after publishing it, wondering if someone was going to silence him for speaking out , by not mentioning names , was very wise and probably kept him from being silenced

[@op8ztv]

Why are there no comments on this...?

[@Ghostintheshell3551]

they got snuffed out

[@dirtysanchez5154]

Whoever killed them has to answer to the good lord

[@TheKdizzle1971]

Dude starts off 'that's classified' ......then tells everything that happened at Gitmo

[@Bimmerrx7]

So the military went to the trouble to stage the suicides, but did a really crappy job making them look believable. And supposedly this guy was able to just stand around after observe everything, and ask questions. Rubbish.

[@Orf]

3:14 OMFG...

[@totallyunmotivated]

This guy sounds like a fucking liar about his background. LRRP hasn't existed since Vietnam and has since become part of the 75th Ranger Regiment. He is telling us that he went into that after enlisting in Maryland Army National Guard? And that this long range recon unit was deployed to..... cuba? Oh and his super cool *CLASSIFIED* NSA work as part of the Marine Corps. Bet he was a black ops hacker sniper assassin.

[@victoriaamartinez4648]

The federal government is doing this still to inmates in Arizona State that map is map from Florence prison Arizona State and Tucson prison Arizona State ...

[@jaimep456]

All the supermax prisons in the US. Including Florence, Colorado, Florida, and South Carolina are all the definition of cruel and unusual punishment. Small cell living, no visits or phone calls, no interaction with other inmates, and no fresh air. They have some inmates living underground who never see sunlight. Those inmates will never leave that place. They deemed inditerminant shu terms as inhumane but these federal supermax prisons are still up and running.

[@kevanphillips]

Sounds like they were creative with their suicide. More need to take the plunge.

[@pauldombrowski2330]

Hmm. Not sure i believe this guy. I was a guard at GTMO. My first week there we had a mass hanging. No one died. So for him to say it couldn't be done.....i disagree. We had hunger strikes all the time. Nothing new. Think about this. What would the Taliban or ISIS do to coalition forces if we were detained by them? We would be on tv getting our heads cut off. Those detainees were treated good. Most didn't want to return to host countries for fear of how they would be treated. SMH......

[@mr.a6767]

"Patty wagon" is such a racist term.. 🙄

[@regwilliam5691]

So 3 worthless terrorist were executed by the goverment what is the big deal if they a real terrorists they would have rot in prison for the rest of there life or been executed by any goverment they were sent back to. Only thing i see here is smart tactics. Kill 3 Trouble makers to stop the hunger strikes and give the goverment more info from interigations seems pretty smart to me.

[@bnfox]

duh

[@jolfer1334]

Did this guy commit "suicide" after this?

[@badrm3272]

I don't know why the people shocked america have done more than that a lot with innocent

[@steinhardt2262]

Good job Vice! I'm Balanced on Both SIdes.

[@nemgyuri]

Most likely they were given discipline for hungerstrike and dryboarding went out of control

[@KatieBlue16]

What's dryboarding?

[@nemgyuri]

@@KatieBlue16 they put clothes in the mouth

[@KatieBlue16]

@@nemgyuri good God, that sounds awful 😣

[@nemgyuri]

@@KatieBlue16 indeed, dark cia techniques... They put clothes in the mouth and tapes on it and on your nose. They are no better than the other side.

[@KatieBlue16]

@@nemgyuri I agree with you there....the mirror image of the other side, only they have power in the government. They wear suits where the others wear rags. God that sounds horrendous. I believe in justice, but fair trial. I'm glued to all these documentaries now. Such an insight to what actually goes on hey

[@trj1442]

What a great, principled man with a solid conscience.

[@shujah4ever]

Muslims on mercy of civilize era. Every long dark night has the end with the day break.

[@Justin-rv9nc]

I had to pause at 27 seconds and the reason for that is because the guy in the beginning says all those things in a fucked up sequence so it seems crazy! I have a hard time taking anything serious after I catch them spewing propaganda or just bullshit!

[@Rhettimus]

That motto makes me want to puke.

[@Jacen777]

"CAMP NO" is summer camp for Grumpy Cat:)

[@sarcasm1881]

I think you kill 3 to scare 1.

[@kazz9188]

DEFUND AND CLOSE GUANTANAMO BAY. This is getting insanely disgusting, they don't have the right to torture nobody, many people who died here didn't even do a thing.

[@Orf]

8:25 They had a policy that you couldn't interrogate detainees who were on hunger strike? But you could kill them...???

[@nickbreen287]

Who cares?

[@nickbreen287]

***** Death threat?

[@Leonardo-or1ll]

***** Yea but he didn't kill innocent civilians and oppress a nation. They deserve the death penalty.

[@sneintzville]

At leat a quarter of the world

[@cinesimonj]

Not the world's fascists and neo-nazis, that's for sure.

[@nickbreen287]

cinesimonj No islam does care.

[@ChristopherJones-lt3le]

The sheep are getting more intelligent by the day, so many can type with their hooves.

[@MahkyVmedia1]

Only if we could all be like you and just know everything even though you're not educated

[@nortonman5238]

I wish I was as educated as you and voted for Trump, because, you know, delusions.

[@JamesWilliams-eg1gm]

My life is a CIA experiment

[@JamesWilliams-eg1gm]

Bahahahahah😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@n2ecosystems]

Great Book...

[@natalieferrin7635]

Got what they had come ing

[@eustab.anas-mann9510]

Test

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

CIA. Christian's in action. 🤣

[@tufail1823]

Gitmo is often called America's Gulag, welp, Gulag yeah very Christian

[@Ryan-ew2gv]

they really expect me (or anyone else) to give this any credence

[@tufail1823]

As if this is the only thing raising questions at Gitmo. Stay in your comfort zone bud, the world is too cruel for delicates like you

[@kiradead666]

the one who maintain the law and justice must have sometimes dirty hands sometimes throw one's weight for better or worse society must keep an eye on the government so that it remains well

[@kiradead666]

the community in the wrong, the government shouldering bring the population on it places and vice versa

[@thenbenagcz3931]

#AMERICANDEATHCAMPS

[@MrLegendarydeathclaw]

A shame we don't send conspiracy loons like Alex Jones in there...

[@LouieSmithSenior]

Doesn't look good him saying he can't talk about his earlier classified duties but he's happy to talk about these classified duties.

[@phuku177]

I BELIEVE YOU JOE!!!

[@phuku177]

BUT I DON'T GIVE A FUCK... FUCK THE TERRORISTS!!!

[@phuku177]

***** I did find that part a little odd.

[@larsfroelich]

This is free speech.

[@butchlake5764]

WHAT DONT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND ABOUT THESE HATEFUL COMMENTS? MOST ARE PAID TROLLS EITHER FROM THE GOVERNMENT OR MILITARY!

[@charlieday6747]

Butch Lake I'm paid by know one,shoot the fucking lot

[@elwoodblues8878]

You are an idiot

[@jeremymixon7142]

Aww, those poor detainees. GTFOOH..WGAS

[@dbt7624]

Honestly!!! everyone that watches this video isn’t going to change anything or do anything about it people literally come here for entertainment 🤣

[@peteyweestro9611]

Those 3 could have done it, with Allahs help nothing is impossible lol.

[@vedantmehra6970]

Lol

[@tufail1823]

Sadism comes in all shapes indeed

[@samuell.jackson8159]

this guy wanted his 15 min of fame

[@AB-gz9yb]

Samuel L. Jackson yep

[@mithunkumar25557]

And you are just stupid for eternity

[@MonkeypodFPV]

The title of this story should be "U.S. Saves money on food and housing by exterminating 3 threats to humanity!"

[@Unclebubba1]

This guy is giving his opinion... We never got to see what happened to the detainees when they left. The detainees either came back happy or in a bad mood. Trust me this camp needs to remain open..

[@AidanHomewood]

did you watch the video? the detainees are dead. they didn't come back.

[@JoeSmalley1234]

I'm done with Vice News.... They just took this guys word without vetting the story in any way... They have become no better than a sad adult still living at home in his parents basement making self absorbed youtube videos ranting about everything the world is doing to hold him down. I actually looked up to there programing, but this takes the cake!... So sad!

[@mmjmedic822]

Baby blue this so called marine

[@AdverseInfluence]

Allahu Akbar!!

[@terrydishman4292]

Allah tothesnackbar

[@chadhill5354]

what a traitor!

[@Jacen777]

WHO CARES?

[@imnotnotcraigwilson8081]

R.L.T.W.

[@George-rc2im]

They say we need to shut it down because it is inhumane, but in reality those inmates are no longer human as they did not treat others as such. Those inmates are animals. And will be treated as such. Though I do condemn the holding of them, as I would prefer they be executed.

[@NeutralExistence]

A large number of these people were never convicted of a crime, and have never even seen a real court room, who the fuck are you to say whether or not they are 'human'. You have no proof whatsoever that they've done anything. Try to think with logic instead of your emotions.

[@George-rc2im]

***** It is kinda like taking a handful of termites from a safe location, and taking them into your house. Than expecting them not to eat it and ruin it. With termites you kill.

[@George-rc2im]

***** Look at what happened in France. Maybe if they adapted similar policy to us them terrorists could have been locked away and not on the street.

[@finfan7]

So Mr. McMillen... you are saying you believe that anyone who believes that anyone who doesn't share their beliefs is unworthy of life, and should be killed immediately, is unworthy of life and should be killed immediately? Am I correct?

[@George-rc2im]

finfan7 Read again. I stated that these are obviously terrorists and there is only one reason why they are there and don't deserve humane treatment.

[@kevincassey5518]

Who cares