Human Rights Watch investigator suspended over Nazi memorabilia

A senior military analyst with the international watchdog, Human Rights Watch, has been suspended by the organisation following controversy surrounding his collection of Nazi wartime medals and memorabilia.

Marc Garlasco, a former intelligence officer for the Pentagon, has in recent days become the subject of pro-Israeli bloggers who have pointed out that he is an avid collector of Nazi memorabilia from the second world war. The bloggers have questioned whether this is an appropriate hobby for someone who has led Human Rights Watch's investigations into the two recent Israeli wars in Lebanon and Gaza.

The greatest controversy has focused on postings he has made to military memorabilia online bulletin boards under the moniker Flak 88*. In one he was shown wearing a jumper bearing an Iron Cross. In another he wrote: "That is so cool! The leather SS jacket makes my blood go cold it is so COOL!"

Note: 88 = Nazi skinhead code for Heil Hitler. H being the 8th letter of the alphabet, therefore HH=88.


The Guardian