Guantánamo Attorneys Urge Panetta To Preserve CIA Black Site Evidence

[kpete]

Source: ACLU

Guantánamo Attorneys Urge Panetta To Preserve CIA Black Site Evidence (4/13/2009)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: [phone]; [e-mail]

NEW YORK – Attorneys for detainee Abd Al-Rahim Hussain Mohammed al-Nashiri today sent a letter to CIA Director Leon Panetta requesting that the CIA "black site" buildings, interrogation cells, prisoner cells, shackles, water boards and other equipment be preserved for inspection and documentation. Al-Nashiri, who is now detained at Guantánamo, was held in the secret CIA prison facilities from 2002 to 2006. Director Panetta has ordered the closure of CIA black sites, but al-Nashiri's attorneys are concerned that the CIA intends to destroy the sites – including the buildings and the equipment used to interrogate and torture al-Nashiri and other detainees – and in doing so destroy evidence of his mistreatment.

The CIA has admitted that al-Nashiri was subjected to waterboarding while in CIA custody. Videotapes depicting his abusive interrogations have already been destroyed by the agency and are the subject of ongoing ACLU litigation.

The ACLU, through its John Adams Project with the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, worked with under-resourced military lawyers to provide legal counsel for several of the Guantánamo detainees including al-Nashiri during the military commissions process.

The full text of the letter, which is signed by al-Nashiri's military and civilian defense counsel, is below and available online at: www.aclu.org/safefree/detention/39348res20090413.html

Read more: http://www.aclu.org/safefree/detention/39352prs20090413.html

[pleah]

1. K&R

[pberq]

2. Kick and nominated

[juno jones]

3. K&R! n/t