16 December, 2014

Interviews Offer Look at Roles of CIA Contractors During Interrogations

Interviews Offer Look at Roles of CIA Contractors During Interrogations:




"Headquarters was sending daily harangues, cables, e-mails insisting
that waterboarding continue for 30 days because another attack was
believed to be imminent," the former official said. "Headquarters said
it would be on the team's back if an attack happened. They said to the
interrogation team, 'You've lost your spine.' "





Mitchell and Jessen now found themselves in the same position as Soufan, Shumate and others.




"It was hard on them, too," the former U.S. official said. "They are psychologists. They didn't enjoy this at all."





The two men threatened to quit if the waterboarding continued and
insisted that officials from Langley come to Thailand to watch the
procedure, the former official said.





After a CIA delegation arrived, Abu Zubaida was strapped down one more
time. As water poured over his cloth-covered mouth, he gasped for
breath. "They all watched, and then they all agreed to stop," the former
official said.





A 2005 Justice Department memo released this year confirmed the visit.
"These officials," the memo said, "reported that enhanced techniques
were no longer needed."