CIA fears torture prosecutions-Only some of the secrets of US ‘ghost’ prisons have been revealed

[babylonsister]

April 19, 2009
CIA fears torture prosecutions
Only some of the secrets of US ‘ghost’ prisons have been revealed

Temporary detention facility Camp X-Ray on Guantanamo Bay U.S.

Sarah Baxter, Washington


THE CIA fears some of its operatives could face prosecution for torturing high-level terrorist suspects, despite President Barack Obama’s promise of legal immunity.

The confidential US Department of Justice guidelines on interrogating high-level detainees, which were made public last week, provide only a small window into the secret prisons or “black sites” run by the CIA.

“These are the first dominoes,” said Jameel Jaffer, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, which brought the lawsuit that forced the release of the memos. “It will be difficult for the new administration to argue now that other documents can be lawfully withheld.”

The memos, drawn up by Bush administration officials and lawyers, detailed what was permissible, such as placing detainees in a cramped box, “walling” them by slamming them against a wall, dousing them with a hose, depriving them of sleep, confining them with insects and simulating drowning - “waterboarding”.

A former senior CIA official at the time of the 9/11 attacks told The Sunday Times that there was more to uncover about the ghost prisons.

Fourteen senior Al-Qaeda suspects, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the suspected mastermind of the attacks, were transferred to Guantanamo Bay detention camp in 2006, but up to several dozen other high-level detainees passed through the prisons.

“We know how many were released, but we don’t know how many detainees were taken there. Did anybody die while they were waterboarding? Did anybody go too far?” the former official asked.

It is clear that some operatives exceeded the guidelines. One memo from December 2004 said waterboarding was used “with far greater frequency than initially indicated . . . with large volumes of water”, rather than those specified by the rules.

more...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6122483.ece

[grasswire]

1. today is the day to donate to the ACLU

If you are not a member, join. There are very low-cost options available. If you can, donate.

If you care about this, support the ACLU today. http://www.aclu.org

[babylonsister]

2. I'm already in, but good idea. I have a standing

x-mas gift of a membership, and it's one of my best yearly gifts. Money very well spent!

[santamargarita]

8. We just did...again

I hate to think where this country would be without the ACLU

[HopeOverFear]

3. They have nothing to fear. Rahm said today that there will be no prosecutions

not even of the higher ups.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cvp-7YOtRI&feature=player_embedded

[babylonsister]

4. Maybe not from the executive branch, and that might be the point.

Check this out...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x441483
' President Obama did an amazingly important thing by releasing the torture memos.'

[HopeOverFear]

5. good point thanks for this

[Bobbieo]

6. Yes, Obama has done an amazing thing in releasing the torture memos

BUT it is up us to apply pressure to see that these people are brought to justice. That is what my attorney has said. I'm with the ACLU on this.

[babylonsister]

9. Yep, and here's a petition you can sign...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8356181

[bemildred]

7. Fuck the CIA is all I have to say to this.

What the hell good have they ever done with this spook shit?

[babylonsister]

10. I think the fact that they're worried is interesting. They

must be feeling guilty.

[bemildred]

11. Yah.

Not masters of the universe anymore. Fine with me, that.