Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Rizzo not asked for final approval
John C. Truong
Lawyers gave written approval in advance to the destruction in 2005 of hundreds of hours of videotapes documenting CIA interrogations. John A. Rizzo, the agency’s top lawyer at the time, was not asked for final approval before the tapes were destroyed, although Mr. Rizzo had been involved in discussions for two years about the tapes. It is unclear what weight an opinion from a lawyer within the clandestine service would have if it were not formally approved by Mr. Rizzo. But the former official said Mr. Rodriguez and others in the clandestine branch believed the legal judgment gave them the blessing to destroy the tapes. Leaders of the clandestine service believed they “didn’t need to ask Rizzo’s permission.” here
Lawyers gave written approval in advance to the destruction in 2005 of hundreds of hours of videotapes documenting CIA interrogations. John A. Rizzo, the agency’s top lawyer at the time, was not asked for final approval before the tapes were destroyed, although Mr. Rizzo had been involved in discussions for two years about the tapes. It is unclear what weight an opinion from a lawyer within the clandestine service would have if it were not formally approved by Mr. Rizzo. But the former official said Mr. Rodriguez and others in the clandestine branch believed the legal judgment gave them the blessing to destroy the tapes. Leaders of the clandestine service believed they “didn’t need to ask Rizzo’s permission.” here
Labels: CIA, cia flights, detainees, John Truong Rizzo, rendition, Thailand
Saturday, December 08, 2007
CIA detainees taken to Thailand for Interrogation
2005 Acting General Counsel John A Rizzo
Jose A. Rodriguez, Directorate of Operations
Abu Zubaydah was captured in Pakistan, was taken to Thailand for part of his interrogation. Several former intelligence officials also said there was great concern that the tapes, which recorded hours of grueling interrogations, could have set off controversies about the legality of the interrogations and generate a backlash in the Middle East. here In February 2005, a federal judge in New York ordered the CIA to comply with the ACLU's request for documents related to the CIA's detainment and interrogation of suspected terrorists. The agency was told to delve into its operations files for any responsive documents to produce for in camera review. If the timing is right, that would put Rizzo, who oversees the litigation division that handles FOIA requests, right in the thick of things.Joe Palazzolo
By mid-2002, the CIA had worked out secret black-site deals with two countries, including Thailand and one Eastern European nation, current and former officials said. An estimated $100 million was tucked inside the classified annex of the first supplemental Afghanistan appropriation.
On March 28, 2002. Pakistani forces took Abu Zubaida, al Qaeda's operations chief, into custody and the CIA whisked him to the new black site in Thailand, which included underground interrogation cells, said several former and current intelligence officials. By Dana Priest, November 2, 2005 here
Jose A. Rodriguez, Directorate of Operations
Abu Zubaydah was captured in Pakistan, was taken to Thailand for part of his interrogation. Several former intelligence officials also said there was great concern that the tapes, which recorded hours of grueling interrogations, could have set off controversies about the legality of the interrogations and generate a backlash in the Middle East. here In February 2005, a federal judge in New York ordered the CIA to comply with the ACLU's request for documents related to the CIA's detainment and interrogation of suspected terrorists. The agency was told to delve into its operations files for any responsive documents to produce for in camera review. If the timing is right, that would put Rizzo, who oversees the litigation division that handles FOIA requests, right in the thick of things.Joe Palazzolo
By mid-2002, the CIA had worked out secret black-site deals with two countries, including Thailand and one Eastern European nation, current and former officials said. An estimated $100 million was tucked inside the classified annex of the first supplemental Afghanistan appropriation.
On March 28, 2002. Pakistani forces took Abu Zubaida, al Qaeda's operations chief, into custody and the CIA whisked him to the new black site in Thailand, which included underground interrogation cells, said several former and current intelligence officials. By Dana Priest, November 2, 2005 here
Labels: Abu Zubaydah, CIA, detainee, detention, erased, flight, Jose A. Rodriguez, rendition, tapes, Thailand, torture
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
