CSI IRAQ

Aug. 16, 2006 - DANA POINT, CA - On Aug. 2, The Regime Crimes Liaison Office (RCLO) in Baghdad submitted 36 pictures documenting the opening of two mass graves in 2003 to the Iraqi High Tribunal, the Iraqi court that is prosecuting Saddam Hussein and to Ba'ath party officials.

Award-winning ZUMA Press photographer David I. Gross photographed the evidence and thousands of remains at the al-Mahawil and al-Musayib mass grave sites.

"The graves, the unidentified, and the post-conflict events are part of waging war for me," says Gross. "I'm looking at the real costs of war, how it goes on and on, and who pays for the madness," he added.

For two hours, the investigating judge, whose name is withheld for security reasons, and a team from the RCLO studied and discussed the images. The judge was shocked with what he was shown. He said neither he nor the Iraqi people have ever seen anything like this, but they will now see what came out of the ground, what really happened, how the killing was done and who was there.

According to Forensic experts there are plenty more evidence to be found including possible undiscoverd graves. More documentary proof is being gathered to illustrate this is a "crime against humanity" case against the Shi'a civilians. At some point they may attempt to dig up more bodies.

Gross, a 2003 World Press Photo award winner for his work on mass graves and forensic identifications in Kosovo used his many years of experience and knowledge to capture the significance of this horrific event.

"For me this situation exemplifies when human beings become merely objects, in the most extreme way. They are items to dispose of, for the killers and items to find, for the investigators," says Gross. "My pictures reflect that," he adds.

It was the first investigations of the Hague tribunals and photographer, Gilles Peress's images of the forensic investigations of the mass graves in Bosnia that inspired Gross to focus on the CSI theme.

He continues to photograph these events to capture its significance and is currently working on a book about the search of missing people and those whose bodies are not found after war, conflict and disaster.

For more on the mass graves you can view David Gross's photo essay on zReportage.com