CIA Destroyed Evidence Of Torture
December 6, 2007 – 7:14 pm
The Central Intelligence Agency in 2005 destroyed at least two videotapes documenting the interrogation of two Al Qaeda operatives in the agency’s custody, a step it took in the midst of Congressional and legal scrutiny about the C.I.A’s secret detention program, according to current and former government officials.
The videotapes showed agency operatives in 2002 subjecting terror suspects — including Abu Zubaydah, the first detainee in C.I.A. custody — to severe interrogation techniques. They were destroyed in part because officers were concerned that tapes documenting controversial interrogation methods could expose agency officials to greater risk of legal jeopardy, several officials said.
The C.I.A. said today that the decision to destroy the tapes had been made “within the C.I.A. itself,� and they were destroyed to protect the safety of undercover officers and because they no longer had intelligence value. The agency was headed at the time by Porter J. Goss. Through a spokeswoman, Mr. Goss declined this afternoon to comment on the destruction of the tapes.
One Response to “CIA Destroyed Evidence Of Torture”
If only the CIA were so concerned about the rights of U.S. citizens who are deemed ‘terrorists’ by the executive branch.
If another 9/11 should ever happen, God forbid, I will not feel secure in my Constitutional rights with this regime that wants to invest all power in the Executive.
By Vince Williams on Dec 6, 2007