Report: CIA Pushed Torture Envelope

Justice Department Says FBI Warned Spy Agency, Military, That Their Tactics Were "Borderline Torture"

(CBS/AP)  CIA and military interrogators bucked repeated warnings from the FBI that methods used to question terror suspects were in some cases "borderline torture" and potentially illegal, the Justice Department's internal watchdog reported Tuesday.

Prosecutors stopped far short of pursuing charges against interrogators, however, after concluding that the Pentagon was ultimately responsible for policing the treatment of al Qaeda detainees who were being held in military prisons.

More than three years in the making, the audit issued by Justice Department Inspector General Glenn A. Fine generally praises how the FBI handled terror interrogations following the Sept. 11 terror attacks through 2004.

When al Qaeda terrorist Abu Zubaydah was captured - six months after 9/11 - the FBI took first crack at his interrogation. But, when the CIA concluded agents were merely getting "throwaway information" - the spies took over - using what one FBI official later called, "borderline torture," reports CBS News Correspondent Bob Orr.

Agents pulled out as FBI headquarters ordered them not to take part. But, Tuesday's report from the Justice Department's Inspector General makes it clear, FBI agents for several years witnessed wide-ranging abuses at three military lockups in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay.

Agents repeatedly asked FBI headquarters for guidance, but didn't get it, as prisoners at Gitmo were threatened with growling dogs, had their thumbs twisted back and heads wrapped in duct tape.

While the Inspector General's report "...found no instances in which an FBI agent participated in clear detainee abuse..." it blamed the FBI for failing to give clear instructions to its agents in the field.

The split, pitting the FBI against the CIA and Pentagon, came to a head over the treatment of the so-called 20th hijacker Muhammad al-Qahtani. Qahtani is accused by the government of attempting to enter the United States in August 2001 to be a muscle hijacker on one of the planes used in the 9/11 attacks. He was turned away at the Orlando airport and not allowed entry into the country.

Fine's report raises troubling questions about CIA and Pentagon interrogators whose use of snarling dogs, short shackles, mocking of the Quran and other abuses of detainees overseas appear to have overstepped what U.S. courts would allow in collecting evidence.

At the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, FBI agents in 2002 openly clashed with military interrogators bent on "aggressively" interrogating al-Qahtani by confronting him with agitated dogs and keeping him awake for continuous 20-hour interviews daily.

"The plan was to keep him up until he broke," the FBI agent told superiors, the Justice Department report said.

FBI officials complained to the White House after learning that military interrogators forced al Qahtani to "perform dog tricks," "be nude in front of a female," and wear "women's underwear on his head".

Al-Qahtani's attorney, Gitanjali Gutierrez with the Center for Constitutional Rights, says that Qahtani recently attempted suicide in his cell at Guantanamo Bay because of his conditions.

"The tactics that were used against and the impact, the pain and suffering it caused him and the damage that it caused him does rise to a level of torture," Gutierrez told CBS News.

The treatment of al-Qahtani recently forced the government to drop the charges against him, because had the Pentagon proceeded with his military tribunal, all of the evidence of his treatment would be made public.

For at least part of the time covered by Fine's investigation, the CIA and Pentagon were working under Justice Department guidance that their interrogation methods were legal. However, FBI agents recognized as early as 2002 that they would not be allowed to use those methods to interview prisoners in the United States.

FBI agents are explicitly banned from using brutality, physical violence, intimidation or other means of causing duress when interviewing suspects. Instead, the FBI generally tries to build a rapport with suspects to get information.

"Beyond any doubt, what they are doing (and I don't know the extent of it) would be unlawful were these enemy prisoners of war," one agent wrote back to FBI headquarters in a document cited in the Justice report.

[randynason]

I dare say: it takes more than one to "tango."

[p-syrus]

Prosecutors stopped far short of pursuing charges against interrogators, however, after concluding that the Pentagon was ultimately responsible for policing the treatment of al Qaeda detainees who were being held in military prisons.
---------------

Chicken sh@t w@nkers.

Afraid to arrest Military General Staff for War Crimes.

[mwilliamd2]

I have no problem with agressive interrogation of suspected and known terrorists. Maybe if they would face us in uniform with a country to back them then they wouldn''t have to worry about torture. Whatever keeps America safe. It''s their choice what happens to them, not ours and they are asking for agressive interrogation.

[wogerwabbit]

"The treatment of al-Qahtani recently forced the government to drop the charges against him, because had the Pentagon proceeded with his military tribunal, all of the evidence of his treatment would be made public."

This is America''s shame. I''m better than that... apparently a lot of you depraved, brain damaged f**kers aren''t. Then again, I fought for this country and have a perspective you ignorant pinheads with your G.I. Joe Doll experience just don''t comprehend. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I found God after Vietnam... you have no idea what a soldier goes through after the fact. I made excuses for my abhorrent behavior, justified it in my mind that to survive I had to be the meanest mofo in country and acted accordingly. A lot of my buddies died physically... I lived but died inside... a far worse fate, but one I don''t mourn. I''ve lived to see (so far) five grandchildren born (# six is in the oven) and I wouldn''t trade that away for any ***** life... or sadly enough, any of my buddies lives either. Through it all, I never lost the thought in my head that... WE... were the good guys. Today, I''m not so sure.

[wogerwabbit]

"Whatever keeps America safe."
Posted by futrrangr

I see. So bending over and taking it up the a$$ for fascism is within your grasp of reality. What a good little nazi... er... I mean... godless, cowardly American you are. You shame us all and bring dishonor upon America and you''re proud of it. I will never understand the neocon mindset.

[edward1975-2009]

Still doesn''t even come close to the tactics used by the insurgents. At least their''s are still among the living. Not true for those of ours who get captured, we find them brutalized, mutilated, and dead. I feel no pity for these butchers.

[brianbwb-2009]

"Still doesn''''t even come close to the tactics used by the insurgents. At least their''''s are still among the living. Not true for those of ours who get captured, we find them brutalized, mutilated, and dead. I feel no pity for these butchers." Posted by Edward1975

But it doesn''t occur to you that we have no business occupying them, or interfering militarily in their lands? Or that those who are caught are "enemy invaders", and most likely you would do the same were the circumstances to be reversed?

I remember when the Bush agitprop machine was stirring up the "hate kettle" even Sikh Indians (non Muslim, by the way) who were American citizens were assaulted and beaten by ignorant American savages simply because their traditional headdress is a turban. They had to ask Muhammad Ali to appeal for calm.

The neocons have a strange delusion that makes them forget that theirs is most often the original trespass, and that their victims should have no right to be angry.

[brianbwb-2009]

"Still doesn''''t even come close to the tactics used by the insurgents. At least their''''s are still among the living. Not true for those of ours who get captured, we find them brutalized, mutilated, and dead. I feel no pity for these butchers." Posted by Edward1975

But it doesn''t occur to you that we have no business occupying them, or interfering militarily in their lands? Or that those who are caught are "enemy invaders", and most likely you would do the same were the circumstances to be reversed?

I remember when the Bush agitprop machine was stirring up the "hate kettle" even Sikh Indians (non Muslim, by the way) who were American citizens were assaulted and beaten by ignorant American savages simply because their traditional headdress is a turban. They had to ask Muhammad Ali to appeal for calm.

The neocons have a strange delusion that makes them forget that theirs is most often the original trespass, and that their victims should have no right to be angry.

[brianbwb-2009]

"It''''s their choice what happens to them, not ours and they are asking for agressive interrogation." Posted by futrrangr

So Iraq, which had nothing to do with 9/11, asked for an illegal invasion, based on lies? They asked to be kidnapped, "renditioned", tortured, raped, and murdered?

When did they make such a request, I don''t seem to remember it.

[billslm]

The treatment of al-Qahtani recently forced the government to drop the charges against him, because had the Pentagon proceeded with his military tribunal, all of the evidence of his treatment would be made public.

Surely you are joking! "...all the evidence of his treatment..." may have been suppressed but that does not make the Pentagon less guilty of War Crimes. What I hate more than anything about these toy soldiers, and yes, I have known more than a few top Pentagon brass, is how they like to torture people but pass the buck on accountability. Lyndie England is in jail because the brass found a scapegoat and somebody at the top said, "Let it go at that," to the press. The Main Stream Corporate Media was perfectly happy to put the crown thorns on Lyndie, because she was a grunt. And the cowardly chain of command simply kept their heads down and pointed their fingers at the grunt. Those are the proud Warriors who are keeping Amerika safe for you. May the Devil take you all!

futrrangr wrote:

"Whatever keeps America safe."

Then you support the trial of GW Bush and the other pieces of excrement known as "neo-cons"?

[stn_sage]

Let me see if I have the facts straight:

1. The audit was issued by Justice Department Inspector General Glenn A. Fine.

2. For at least part of the time covered by Fine''s investigation, the CIA and Pentagon were working under Justice Department guidance that their interrogation methods were legal.

3. CIA agents took over interrogation fm the FBI, using "borderline" torture.

4. FBI agents then witnessed for years illegal wide-ranging abuses at three prisons. Yet, they knew they wouldn''t be allowed to employ abuses within the U.S..

5. FBI headquarters FAILED to give clear directives to agents advising them how to respond.

6. Prosecutors won''t charge CIA or military intel because Pentagon is responsible for monitoring the treatment of prisons.

Mistakes:
1. That Justice would have authorized such methods.
2. That FBI didn''t stop it, when they knew it was wrong.
3. That FBI superiors didn''t support field agents.
4. That CIA/military intel employed torture.
5. That Justice now says we won''t hold FBI responsible for failing to stop torture, or the CIA responsible for doing it, because the Pentagon is responsible for prisoner care---and they let them do it, so by extention, it MUST be OKAY!
6. That Justice did this report which is a conflict-of-interest violation---or should be!

The next admin will have to set this correct, clearly it isn''t happening under the Bush administration!

[vet_sk]

Charge them for war crimes and torture. President Obama will make it clear in his inaugural address that he will legally and non-politically investigate these actions and those responsible from the top to the bottom will be held responsible in a court of law.

[underdogus]

oil hit the 130$ mark!!

[prinzowhales]

The Regime is flying thousands of prisoners into Iraq so they won''t have to worry about those pesky human rights lawyers...they can just shoot them down like dogs...or non-imbedded reporters.

[dsr57]

HA HA HA EFF''EM

[dsr57]

Still doesn''''t even come close to the tactics used by the insurgents. At least their''''s are still among the living. Not true for those of ours who get captured, we find them brutalized, mutilated, and dead. I feel no pity for these butchers

Posted by Edward1975
---------------------------------------------------

EXACTLY, They want sympathy?? Go look somewhere else

[dsr57]

I really don''t care what happens to these people. At least when we let them go they get to sue our govt. When americans are let go they usually come back in pieces. OH, I''m sorry, a dog growled at you? You had to ne naked in front of a female? No, No really I''m sorry about that ha ha F*&k Off.

[skyk-2009]

I really don''''t care what happens to these people. At least when we let them go they get to sue our govt. When americans are let go they usually come back in pieces. OH, I''''m sorry, a dog growled at you? You had to ne naked in front of a female? No, No really I''''m sorry about that ha ha F*&k Off.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by DSR57 at 06:47 AM : May 21, 2008
+ report abuse

I remember my Father, a member of the Greatest Generation and a vet of WW II, telling me about the trials after WW II. We were better than they were, he said. We didn''t treat those we felt were our enemy as they did, thus we have a right to put them of trial and punish them. "When you act in the same manner as those you fight", He said, "you become no better than they are". That from the mouth of a Veteran of the United States Marines, 25th Marine Division, 1942-45.

[omnibus66]

A few years ago, a prisoner in one of our local jails was strapped naked, off the floor, to his cell bars with chains for approximately 24 hours. When it became known as to what had happened, the State Attorneys office decided that nothing had been done wrong.

When the government gets hold of you, you are a piece of meat, at their mercy. If they think that you might have some influence, they might treat you according to the rules. Otherwise, forget it.

[skyk-2009]

Still doesn''''''''t even come close to the tactics used by the insurgents. At least their''''''''s are still among the living. Not true for those of ours who get captured, we find them brutalized, mutilated, and dead. I feel no pity for these butchers

Posted by Edward1975
--------------------------------------

Never been in Uniform have you?? You''ve never faced the possibility that YOU may have to depend on the LAWS about such things have you. I have wondered for YEARS what happened to the American I grew up in... the one I loved? ONCE we said OTHER people do these thing''s we do not. Now we have American''s who igore everything this nation stands for because of FEAR. Thank God we ONCE had people with courage... not cowards like these.

[sgtrds-e4]

Slime runs down hill and considering how immoral, corrupt criminal and slimy Bush and Cheney are it''s no surprise. Corrupt leadership results in corrupt followers.

[blondbeotch]

skyk 8:08 LOL You live in a dream world---the world is a completely different place now

[blondbeotch]

omnibuss66---wah, wah, wah you are a typical bleeding heart LIB----whose to say your "story" is even true!!

[sgtrds-e4]

But it''''s ok to put a bag over our heads, decapitate us, and drag our bodies through the streets....

Posted by globlwarning at 09:04 AM : May 21, 2008

No, but it''s not ok for us to do the same. I mean otherwise why not just change our motto to "America, we''re no different then terrorist!"

[mbcsmith]

Never been in Uniform have you?? You''''ve never faced the possibility that YOU may have to depend on the LAWS about such things have you. I have wondered for YEARS what happened to the American I grew up in... the one I loved? ONCE we said OTHER people do these thing''''s we do not. Now we have American''''s who igore everything this nation stands for because of FEAR. Thank God we ONCE had people with courage... not cowards like these.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by skyk at 08:08 AM : May 21, 2008


You haven''t got a clue. If you think this country never used harsh interrogation until now, you are delusional. Do You think Vietnam was not a time of burning homes, destroying villages and holding captives under harsh conditions.
Here''s a clue. It doesnt matter how we treat the murderous enemy. You seem to think Al-quaeda has signed on to the Geneva convention.

[obamaslady]

I guess you can ''justify'' anything if you want! Bushco not only ''ignores'', but ''supports'' this behavior. But if this problem was reversed and it was our military being treated in the same manner, we would be on the streets raising h*ll. Will we learn anything with this report? I truly doubt it since there are too many ''IGNORANTS'' among us who want to put McSameBush in the WH to make the same calls or worse! If that occurs, we will DESERVE everything we get (or don''t get) just like with Bush!

[jboxton]

Who ARE these people who are mad about this? The ACLU? They are a bunch of dolts. They drill holes in our guy''s knee caps, cut their body parts off while they are still alive and castrate them. We make them wear panties on their heads and perform dog tricks AND WE ARE THE BAD GUYS?! God you liberals are insane. We are not hard enough on these monsters

[ioweign]

"We do not torture." GWB - Panama City, Panama, Nov. 7, 2005

The International Committee of the Red Cross, the European Union and human rights groups demanded information about the prisons, and an E.U. spokesman said their existence could violate international law.

"This government does not torture people." GWB - WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 7, 2007

"It appears that under Attorney General Gonzales, they reversed themselves and reinstated a secret regime by, in essence, reinterpreting the law in secret," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont.


"I suspect that former Deputy Attorney General Comey will again prove to be right in his prediction that the Department of Justice will be ashamed when we learn more about all that they have done," Leahy said.

Leahy, who heads the Senate Judiciary Committee, warned that the "ongoing scandals" at the Justice Department "now encumber" the nomination of retired federal judge Michael Mukasey, selected to replace Gonzales as attorney general.

[usmcvn2]

Yo, I got an idea!! Lets invade a 3rd world country
and spread democracy!!

[ioweign]

Yo, I got an idea!! Lets invade a 3rd world country
and spread democracy!!

Posted by usmcvn2 at 10:19 AM : May 21, 2008

How about that space between Canada and Mexico ?

All they have is that "God D_a_m_n piece of paper"...

[rafterman1]

===Get a clue, read up on THEIR way of thinking.===
Posted by globlwarning

Get a clue, it''s not OUR way of thinking though. Well, at least not mine. But then again, I still have a shred of honor and decency left.

[bmadeline-2009]

If we want to blow up people and torture them if they didn''t get killed in the blast, that''s ok....IF we admit we are a Godless country with thousands of phony Christians. Have at it heathens. Then say we are "better" than they are. What garbage.

[Latrocinor]

CBS News Investigates
Boy, 12, Beheads Man In Al Qaeda Video
Video Shows Gruesome Training Exercise For Young Militants

May 20, 2008Amid cries of %u2018Allah o Akbar%u2019 (god is great), a young boy, barely 12 years old, lifts his machete and strikes at his victim who is lying on the ground, all tied up for the kill.

Waving a %u2018V%u2019 for victory sign with his right hand, the boy picks up the severed head and shows it around to the chants of applause from an audience gathered in a remote part of the region straddling the mountainous range which divides Pakistan and

[rafterman1]

===Boy, 12, Beheads Man In Al Qaeda Video===
Posted by bhoogren

So we should act like that too? People are horrified to read that and you want us to match them atrocity for atrocity? We lose the moral high ground the second we act like our enemy.

We are the most powerful country in the word - 300 million people, leaders in technology and we command space. Yet we are so afraid of a bunch of guys waving around AK''s and living in caves, that we have willing to give up our principles? We don''t have to act like them to beat them.

[Renegade.Rivers]

When the dust all settles from this, if we don''t pursue war crimes charges against the highest and the mightiest of our government and the military that allowed all of these atrocities to happen, then we are no better than the other countries that have allowed countless thousands to be tortured and murdered. If we do not pursue charges against the corporate media moguls who allowed these atrocities to go undisclosed for complicity, then we are no better than those countries that allowed it to happen.

I was raised with certain morals and beliefs that I will stand by till the day I die. I was raised to believe that even under duress that American held itself to a higher standard, and it was because of that higher standard that we had been victorious in the face of overwhelming odds. I was raised to believe right is right and wrong is wrong, no matter the circumstance. I was never once taught to believe, "if you can''t bet ''em, join ''em. You that believe that are idiots.

[Renegade.Rivers]

We don''''t have to act like them to beat them.

Posted by Rafterman1
-------------------------------------------------------
Amen to that.

[lochlan-2009]

"Justice Department Says FBI Warned Spy Agency, Military, That Their Tactics Were "Borderline Torture""

But they said, we''re above the law and no one will have to pay for torturing anyone. Are they right? This is America after all, "and justice for all."

[leftyintexas]

Yo, I got an idea!! Lets invade a 3rd world country
and spread democracy!!

Posted by usmcvn2 at 10:19 AM : May 21, 2008

Sorry, that''s been done already and been proven not to work.

[vet_sk]

Everyone needs and will be be held responsible for this - including Antonin Scolia who two months ago said there was some wiggle room inside the Constitution for torture. We may not be able to reach Bush but we will be able to reach Cheney, Scolia, all the neo-cons at defense and the agents who actually committed the crimes.

[vet_sk]

Yo, I got an idea!! Lets invade a 3rd world country
and spread democracy!!

Posted by usmcvn2 at 10:19 AM : May 21, 2008

Sorry, that''''s been done already and been proven not to work.
Posted by leftyintexas

bin Laden got a lot more then he ever hoped. The dope of the president we have was led right into the trap he set. Oil has doubled - bring the United States to its knees.

[vet_sk]

What you can''t fathum tiddsanbeer, is that everything that Kennedy has done in the Senate was for you, while the people you vote for only put on a good show and then vote against your sad self.

[roger_inkart]

Bin Laden will be sad to see GW leave office. No other person could have dragged the nation down into the gutter the way the Bush administration has.

[roger_inkart]

You people are the reason we can not win wars.. Not our military or government.. EWE!!!!

Posted by cornbiker at 11:19 AM : May 21, 2008

As far as I can tell, our objections to torture have had absolutely no effect on the CIA, the Bush administration or the US military.

So, you whining little child - how about you man up and take some responsibility for what has happened? Instead of trying to people who had no power to stop anything or effect policy in any way?

[roger_inkart]

You have to fight terrorism with Terror.

Posted by cornbiker at 11:19 AM : May 21, 2008

...and my doing so assuring that terror - regardless of it''s origin - wins.

Your simplistic and idiotic means of looking at complex problems isn''t helping things here. We didn''t have to become Nazis to defeat Germany or communists to defeat the USSR. Why should the US have to compromise it''s principles to deal with something that is MUCH less of a threat then what we''ve dealt with in the past?

[tonyd_31]

You have to fight terrorism with Terror.

Posted by cornbiker at 11:19 AM : May 21, 2008

In no way shape or form do I apologize for terrorist. However, we are a country under that is supposed to operate under the rule of law. Some of you idiots who never probably even served in the military do realize that as we detain and torture people (some who were innocent and had no ties to terrorist), other countries who capture our soldiers and citizens will do the same. That is why people like Colin Powell and Gen. Wesley Clark and other distinguished people are against it. Some of you pro-torture idiots seem to have the insight of a retarded monkey.

[j-whitman]

cornbiker,,,,, I''ll make it very simple even you should be able to understand it ------- TORTURE IS A WAR CRIME

[tonyd_31]

tiddsanbeer, you are one of the idiots who doesn''t have the sense of a retarded monkey I was referring to. Shut up sissy!

[sgtrds-e4]

Some of you pro-torture idiots seem to have the insight of a retarded monkey.

Posted by Tonyd_31 at 11:52 AM : May 21, 2008

I''ll 2nd that. this nation has faced down much more dangerous threats the terrorism without selling out our moral high ground, until Bush and the cowards that support him that is. And make no mistake, it is cowards that torture others.

[tonyd_31]

You people are the reason we can not win wars.. Not our military or government.. EWE!!!!

Posted by cornbiker at 11:19 AM : May 21, 2008


No, actually it is cowards like you who never probably served, sitting back watching other people kids fight an illegal war that should not have been waged in the first place. Talking about how we should do this or that to the terrorist and can''t even get your lazy azz off the couch or put down your beer can. Man, I cannot tolerate you "paper tigers"!!