The Egyptian government -- and indeed all governments which resort to the use of torture -- may start having second thoughts now that, thanks to modern technology, denial is no longer an option. With the probability that such actions may be recorded and later used as evidence against the torturers in criminal courts, police officers may now think twice before abusing prisoners.

While torture may serve an immediate goal, that of forcing the suspect to reveal information, it carries a devastating long-term effect for both the prisoner and the people applying the torture.

For the victims of torture it augments the hate and helps widen the schism between them and the established powers. Often, as in Iraq, for example, it lays the groundwork for future revenge.

To prove this point one need only look at the case of al-Qaida's number two man, Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri. The radical Islamist militant and deputy leader of the world's most feared terrorist group is reported to have turned to radical and violent Islam only after suffering severe torture while serving time in an Egyptian jail. It is said that it was the torture that changed him.

Regrettably, the story of Zawahiri being subjected to torture is far from being unique. Despite repeated calls from the world community, from human rights advocates and others, the torture of suspects in Egyptian, or other Arab jails, persists. And in Asian jails, or for that matter American jails, remains all too current. Think back to Abu Ghraib and the horrid scenes from the U.S.-run jail outside Baghdad. Or much closer to home, think of the stories -- the nightmares, rather -- that emerged from the Guantanamo detention facilities.

Zawahiri's case became known to the public as a result of his association with al-Qaida. But for every case that surfaces to the public's attention there remain hundreds, if not thousands, more untold stories of prisoners being routinely tortured while in the custody of government security agencies.

But the tables may be starting to turn on the torturers thanks to modern technology and the invention of the cell phone video camera.

After the video taping of Saddam Hussein's execution by someone using a cellular phone equipped with a video camera found its way on the Internet, the world had the opportunity to see justice miscarried within minutes. Saddam's hanging turned out to be more of a lynching and an embarrassment for the Iraqi government.

This week a similar scandal has erupted in Cairo over the use of cell phone/video cam, this time to film a torture scene. Somehow, someone managed to sneak a cell phone camera into an Egyptian police station and document a disturbing scene showing a woman hanging from a lateral pole that was balanced between the backs of two chairs. The woman's hands and feet are tied and she is swinging upside-down with the wooden pole placed under her knees.

The popular Internet site youtube.com displayed this clip as well as several others showing Egyptian policemen hitting, kicking, shouting and abusing detainees.

The prisoners appear completely helpless; if they attempt to defend themselves, if they try to cover their faces in order to avoid blows, they are hit even harder.

The Egyptian government has consistently denied the use of torture by its military, police and security forces. But the sudden appearance on youtube.com of dozens of clips taken by cell phone cams has brought much embarrassment to the government of President Mubarak, a staunch U.S. ally in the Middle East and in the war on terror.

Adding to Mubarak's embarrassment, Qatar-based al-Jazeera TV's documentary channel had one of its producers arrested at Cairo International Airport as she tried leaving the country with footage showing the use of torture in Egyptian detention centers.

Howayda Taha, the al-Jazeera producer, found herself charged with "harming the state's national interest" -- meaning al-Jazeera was planning to air the torture footage. The al-Jazeera journalist was accused of fabricating images in a way that is detrimental to the country's reputation; she was prohibited from leaving the country and had nearly 50 tapes confiscated.

Maybe someone managed to film her arrest with a cell phone camera?

(Comments may be sent to Claude@upi.com.)

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