Development of techniques and training Enhanced interrogation techniques

1 development of techniques , training

1.1 central intelligence agency
1.2 defense intelligence agency
1.3 u.s. armed forces

development of techniques , training

west coast, navy sere insignia

the authorized enhanced interrogation (the originator of term unknown) based on work done james elmer mitchell , bruce jessen in air force s survival evasion resistance escape (sere) program. cia contracted 2 psychologists develop alternative, harsh interrogation techniques. however, neither of 2 psychologists had experience in conducting interrogations. air force reserve colonel steve kleinman stated cia chose 2 clinical psychologists had no intelligence background whatsoever, had never conducted interrogation... had never been proven in real world. associates of mitchell , jessen skeptical of methods , believed did not possess data impact of sere training on human psyche. cia came learn mitchell , jessen s expertise in waterboarding misrepresented , thus, there no reason believe medically safe or effective. despite these shortcomings of experience , know-how, 2 psychologists boasted of being paid $1000 day plus expenses, tax-free cia work.

the sere program, mitchell , jessen reverse engineer, used train pilots , other soldiers on how resist brainwashing techniques assumed have been employed chinese extract false confessions captured americans during korean war. program subjected trainees waterboarding . . . sleep deprivation, isolation, exposure extreme temperatures, enclosure in tiny spaces, bombardment agonizing sounds @ extremely damaging decibel levels, , religious , sexual humiliation. under cia supervision, miller , jessen adapted sere offensive program designed train cia agents on how use harsh interrogation techniques gather information terrorist detainees. in fact, of tactics listed above later reported in international committee of red cross report on fourteen high value detainees in cia custody having been used on abu zubaydah.

stephen soldz, steven reisner , brad olson wrote article describing how techniques used mimic taught in sere-program: military s survival, evasion, resistance, , escape program trains special operations forces, aviators , others @ high risk of capture on battlefield evade capture , resist breaking under torture, particularly through giving false confessions or collaborating captors .

the psychologists relied heavily on experiments done american psychologist martin seligman in 1970s on learned helplessness. in these experiments caged dogs exposed severe electric shocks in random way in order break resist. mitchell , jessen applied idea interrogation of abu zubaydah. many of interrogation techniques used in sere program, including waterboarding, cold cell, long-time standing, , sleep deprivation considered illegal under u.s. , international law , treaties @ time of abu zubaydah s capture. in fact, united states had prosecuted japanese military officials after world war ii , american soldiers after vietnam war waterboarding , 1983. since 1930, united states had defined sleep deprivation illegal form of torture. many other techniques developed cia constitute inhuman , degrading treatment , torture under united nations convention against torture , article 3 of european convention on human rights.

according human rights first:

internal fbi memos , press reports have pointed sere training basis of harshest techniques authorised use on detainees pentagon in 2002 , 2003.

and salon stated:

a march 22, 2005, sworn statement former chief of interrogation control element @ guantánamo said instructors sere taught methods interrogators of prisoners in cuba.

while jane mayer reported new yorker:

according sere affiliate , 2 other sources familiar program, after september 11 several psychologists versed in sere techniques began advising interrogators @ guantánamo bay , elsewhere. of these psychologists tried reverse-engineer sere program, affiliate put it. took knowledge , used in bad way , of sources said. interrogators , bsct members @ guantánamo adopted coercive techniques similar employed in sere program.

and continues report:

many of interrogation methods used in sere training seem have been applied @ guantánamo.

a bipartisan report released in 2008 stated that:

a february 2002 memorandum signed president george w. bush, stating third geneva convention guaranteeing humane treatment prisoners of war did not apply al-qaeda or taliban detainees, , december 2002 memo signed former defense secretary donald rumsfeld, approving use of aggressive techniques against detainees held @ guantanamo bay, key factors lead extensive abuses.

but bush administration s february 2002 memorandum had, in fact, stated al qaeda detainees not covered geneva conventions. same order held taliban detainees entitled treatment under common article 3 of geneva conventions. these standards ordered detainees in 2006, al qaeda members included, following supreme court s ruling in hamdan v. rumsfeld.

donald rumsfeld rescinded december 2002 memo after 6 weeks.

common article 3 remains policy under obama administration, , not balance of third geneva convention.

central intelligence agency

the senate report on cia detention interrogation program details use of torture during cia detention , interrogation.

a congressional bipartisan report in december 2008 established that:

harsh interrogation techniques used cia , u.s. military directly adapted training techniques used prepare special forces personnel resist interrogation enemies torture , abuse prisoners. techniques included forced nudity, painful stress positions, sleep deprivation, , until 2003, waterboarding, form of simulated drowning.

waterboard on display @ tuol sleng genocide museum: prisoners feet shackled bar on right, wrists restrained shackles on left. water poured on face using watering can

according abc news, former , current cia officials have come forward reveal details of interrogation techniques authorized in cia. these include:

in december 2007 cia director michael hayden stated of 100 prisoners held date in cia program, enhanced techniques used on 30, , waterboarding used on three. .

the report, experiments in torture: human subject research , evidence of experimentation in enhanced interrogation program , published advocacy group physicians human rights, described personnel in cia s office of medical services (oms) performing research on prisoners above techniques used both serially , in combination. report based on classified documents made available obama administration in 2010.

according item on abc news in 2007 cia removed waterboarding list of acceptable interrogation techniques in 2006. abc stated further last use of waterboarding in 2003.

defense intelligence agency

in 2003, defense secretary donald rumsfeld s working group on interrogations requested dia come prisoner interrogation techniques group s consideration. according 2008 u.s. senate armed services committee report on treatment of detainees in u.s. custody, dia began drawing list of techniques of civilian employee, former guantanamo interrogation control element (ice) chief david becker. becker claimed working group members particularly interested in aggressive methods , encouraged talk techniques inflict pain.

a declassified fbi correspondence alleging dia use of gay porn , humiliating techniques in interrogations

it unknown extent agency s recommendations used or how long, according same senate report, list drawn dia included use drugs such sodium pentothal , demerol , humiliating treatment using female interrogators , sleep deprivation. becker claimed recommended use of drugs due rumors intelligence agency, name of redacted in senate report, had used them in past. according analysis of office of defense inspector general, dia s cited justification use of drugs [relax] detainee cooperative state , mind-altering substances not used.

some more lurid revelations of dia s alleged harsh interrogations came fbi officers, conducted own screenings of detainees in guantanamo along other agencies. according 1 account, interrogators of dia s defense humint service (currently defense clandestine service), forced subjects watch gay porn, draped them israeli flag , interrogated them in rooms lit strobe lights 16–18 hours, while telling prisoners fbi.

the real fbi operative concerned dia s harsh methods , impersonation of fbi agents complicate bureau s ability job properly, saying next time real agent tries talk guy, can imagine result. subsequent military inquiry countered fbi s allegations saying prisoner treatment degrading not inhuman, without addressing allegation of dia staff regularly impersonating fbi officers - felony offense. year before investigation concluded, revealed interrogations special units of u.s. military services harsher , more physical of above dia practices, point 2 dia officials reportedly complained, after threatened non-dia interrogators.

similar activities thought have transpired @ hands of dia operatives in bagram, 2010 organization ran so-called black jail . according report published atlantic, jail manned dia s dchc staff, accused of beating , sexually humiliating high-value targets held @ site. detention center outlived black sites ran central intelligence agency, dia allegedly continuing use restricted interrogation methods in facility under secret authorization. unclear happened secret facility after 2013 transfer of base afghan authorities following several postponements.

u.s. armed forces

an army investigator counted use of unmuzzled dogs @ abu graib among sadistic, blatant, , wanton criminal abuses u.s. troops.--washington post, may 24, 2004

the following techniques authorized u.s. military:

in november 2006, former u.s. army brigadier general janis karpinski, in charge of abu ghraib prison until 2004, told spain s el país newspaper had seen letter signed united states secretary of defense donald rumsfeld allowed contractors employed u.s. use techniques such sleep deprivation during interrogation. methods consisted of making prisoners stand long periods, sleep deprivation ... playing music @ full volume, having sit in uncomfortably ... rumsfeld authorized these specific techniques. said contrary geneva conventions , quoted geneva convention saying, prisoners of war refuse answer may not threatened, insulted, or exposed unpleasant or disadvantageous treatment of kind. according karpinski, handwritten signature above printed name , in same handwriting in margin written, make sure accomplished.

on may 1, 2005, new york times reported on ongoing high-level military investigation accusations of detainee abuse @ guantánamo, conducted lieutenant general randall m. schmidt of air force, , dealing with: accounts agents federal bureau of investigation complained after witnessing detainees subjected several forms of harsh treatment. fbi agents wrote in memorandums never meant disclosed publicly had seen female interrogators forcibly squeeze male prisoners genitals, , had witnessed other detainees stripped , shackled low floor many hours.

on july 12, 2005, members of military panel told committee proposed disciplining prison commander major general geoffrey miller on interrogation of mohammed al qahtani, forced wear bra, dance man, , threatened dogs. recommendation overruled general bantz j. craddock, commander of u.s. southern command, referred matter army s inspector general.

in interview ap on february 14, 2008 paul rester, chief military interrogator @ guantanamo bay , director of joint intelligence group, said of information gathered detainees came non-coercive questioning , rapport building , not harsh interrogation methods.