[Ppnews] CIA destroyed 92 interrogation tapes

[Political Prisoner News]

CIA destroyed 92 interrogation tapes

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/03/02/national/w063239S43.DTL&tsp=1

By DEVLIN BARRETT, Associated Press Writer

Monday, March 2, 2009


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(03-02) 08:41 PST WASHINGTON (AP) --

New documents show the CIA destroyed nearly 100 tapes of terror 
interrogations, far more than has previously been acknowledged.

The revelation Monday comes as a criminal prosecutor is wrapping up 
his investigation in the matter.

The acknowledgment of dozens of destroyed tapes came in a letter 
filed by government lawyers in New York, where the American Civil 
Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit seeking more details of terror 
interrogation programs.

"The CIA can now identify the number of videotapes that were 
destroyed," said the letter by Acting U.S. Attorney Lev Dassin. 
"Ninety two videotapes were destroyed."

The tapes became a contentious issue in the trial of Sept. 11 
conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui, after prosecutors initially claimed 
no such recordings existed, then acknowledged two videotapes and one 
audiotape had been made.

The letter, dated March 2 to Judge Alvin Hellerstein, says the CIA is 
now gathering more details for the lawsuit, including a list of the 
destroyed records, any secondary accounts that describe the destroyed 
contents, and the identities of those who may have viewed or 
possessed the recordings before they were destroyed.

But the lawyers also note that some of that information may be 
classified, such as the names of CIA personnel that viewed the tapes.

"The CIA intends to produce all of the information requested to the 
court and to produce as much information as possible on the public 
record to the plaintiffs," states the letter.

John Durham, a senior career prosecutor in Connecticut, was appointed 
to lead the criminal investigation out of Virginia.

He had asked that the requests for information in the civil lawsuit 
be put on hold until he had completed his criminal investigation. 
Durham asked that he be given until the end of February to wrap up 
his work, and has not asked for another extension.




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