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CIA Destroyed 92 Interrogation Tapes

3-2-2009

Big news this morning as documents reveal that the CIA has destroyed 92 videotapes of interrogations, which is many more than had previously been acknowledged. The destruction of tapes could complicate future attempts to prosecute detainees whose interrogations were on the tapes, and it raises important questions about the legality of the interrogations in the first place.

The revelation comes as a criminal prosecutor is wrapping up his investigation in the matter. Human Rights First welcomed the decision to launch a criminal investigation into the destruction of the tapes. However, because at least four top White House lawyers under President Bush between 2003 and 2005 took part in discussions about whether to destroy the tapes, we supported an independent investigation rather than one from within the Justice Department. Serious questions remain about White House involvement in the destruction of the tapes, and why so many tapes were destroyed.


Posted in Blog | 2 Comments »

  • Anonymous

    >There is still documentary evidence of the torture recordings.

    Back in 2004 Guantanamo captive Ibrahim Mahdi Achmed Zeidan testified about Abu Zubaydah's interrogation.
    http://projects.nytimes.com/guantanamo/detainees/761-ibrahim-mahdi-achmed-zeidan/documents/search?document_query=torture&x=0&y=0

    How did he know about Abu Zubaydah's interrogation? Interrogators showed pictures from Abu Zubaydah's interrogation to other interrogation subjects — to get them to cooperate.

    CIA Director Michael Hayden asserted the torture was recorded "for training purposes". But I think the public needs to ask whether the training was of other captives, as in "tell us what we want to know, or we will do to you what we did to Abu Zubaydah".

  • Anonymous

    >There is still documentary evidence of the torture recordings.

    Back in 2004 Guantanamo captive Ibrahim Mahdi Achmed Zeidan
    testified about Abu Zubaydah's interrogation.

    How did he know about Abu Zubaydah's interrogation? Interrogators showed pictures from Abu Zubaydah's interrogation to other interrogation subjects — to get them to cooperate.

    CIA Director Michael Hayden asserted the torture was recorded "for training purposes". But I think the public needs to ask whether the training was of other captives, as in "tell us what we want to know, or we will do to you what we did to Abu Zubaydah".