Thaindian News

April 18, 2010 (Pen Men at Work): According to newly released internal CIA documents, former director Porter Gross in 2005 had approved of the decision to destroy dozens of video-tapes documenting the brutal interrogation of two Al-Qaeda detainees. Shortly after the tapes were destroyed at the order of Jose A. Rodriguez Jr., then the head of the C.I.A.’s clandestine service, Mr. Goss told Mr. Rodriguez that he “agreed” with the decision and even joked about ‘taking the heat’ for the action.

In December 2007, it was discovered that the CIA officials had defied a court order by deleting the interrogation videotapes of al-Qaeda detainees Abu Zubayadah and Abdul-Rahim Hussein Muhammad ‘Abdu. According to CIA Director Michael Hayden, the tapes were deleted primarily to protect the identity of interrogators. He however denies Hayden denies that the tapes have any relevance to torture investigations. Tom Malinowski, Washington director of Human Rights Watch, said General Hayden’s claim that the tapes were destroyed to protect C.I.A. officers “is not credible.” He said that these tapes portray potentially criminal activity and if people saw these tapes, they would consider them as show of tortures, which is a felony offense.

Retired CIA agent John Kiriakou confirmed, on December 10th, 2007, that Abu Zubaydah had indeed been tortured during interrogation. Techniques such as waterboarding were used and had allegedly been authorized by the White House. President Bush in one of his speeches in September 2006 had admitted to ‘alternate’ interrogation procedures for Zubayadah since he had received training on how to resist interrogation.

The Justice Department is currently investigating whether any CIA officials broke the law by destroying the tapes.

Robert S. Bennett, attorney for Jose Rodriguez, told ABC News that nothing in the documents suggests Jose broke the law. Bennett also added that Jose deserves a medal and praise for protecting national security rather than an investigation. According to him Rodriguez made the decision after been given assurances that it was legal and would follow no legal impediments.

CIA spokesman George Little said a Department of Justice prosecutor had been looking into the destruction of the tapes for more than two years. He added that the agency has given full co-operation and would continue to do so.

However, some on the blog-sphere have raised an interesting question as to why a billion dollar agency was still using video-tapes in 2002?