Secret CIA Prisons in Europe

Discovery

A Council of Europe investigator says he has evidence to prove the CIA ran secret jails in Poland and Romania to interrogate “war on terror” suspects.

Denial

The CIA has dismissed a Council of Europe report alleging that it ran secret jails for terror suspects in Europe after the 11 September attacks.

Cover-up

The information above doesn’t help matters given that the Bush Administration is under siege for the continued appearance of lawlessness in the White House and its agents. An inquiry is underway on the recent destruction of evidence by the CIA.

The Justice Department and the CIA’s internal watchdog announced Saturday a joint inquiry into the spy agency’s destruction of videotaped interrogations of two suspected terrorists as the latest scandal to rock U.S. intelligence gathered steam.

Ted Kennedy admonished the Bush Administration for its behavior over the years and is demanding answers. The issue of torture is a big one in the United States, so the allegation that the CIA destroyed evidence that may help shed light on the problem is angering the public and our politicians. John McCain says no investigation is needed. Republicans have generally been quiet on the recent discoveries of potential abuse of power by CIA operatives.

The House Intelligence Committee is launching its own inquiry next week. It will investigate not only why the tapes were destroyed and Congress was not notified, but also the interrogation methods that “if released, had the potential to do such grave damage to the United States of America,” said Chairman Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D- Texas, on Saturday. “This administration cannot be trusted to police itself,” Reyes said. The Senate Intelligence committee is also investigating.

Hayden told agency employees Thursday that the recordings were destroyed out of fear the tapes would leak and reveal the identities of interrogators. He said the sessions were videotaped to provide an added layer of legal protection for interrogators using new, harsh methods authorized by President Bush as a way to break down the defenses of recalcitrant prisoners.

The CIA’s acting general counsel, John Rizzo, is preserving remaining records related to the videotapes and their destruction, according to Kenneth L. Wainstein assistant attorney general.

As was inevitable, there are additional stories that seem conspiratorial in nature. One hair raising account is offered on the Daily KOS. It’s a political site, so take it with a grain of salt. The story: it isn’t the torture that is being covered up, it’s what was said by the tortured prisoners. The Huffington Post has more on this: “Saudi-Pakistani 9/11 Connection”

Democrats are furious over the reports in the media, particularly because a lot of Intel has been kept from them and oversight is nearly non-existent.

Why is this significant?

Depending on how the facilities are used, the American ‘rogue’ agency appears to be circumventing American and European Laws to help conduct the War on Terror. I’m generally very pro-CIA because I believe it’s necessary to keep enemies or disloyal allies on their toes. The problem the CIA faces right now is that the Bush Administration is caught up in a public war due to numerous mistakes it’s made in carrying out the war against terror.

The CIA’s effort to seek out ‘lawless’ jurisdictions doesn’t help the United States’ public image. The CIA is supposed to be invisible, but due to poor decisions and abuses of power, it may be a bit exposed until the agency can recover from the politics and lapses in judgment attributable to our leadership.

Here’s a follow-up story that focuses on the CIA tapes and Torture issue

Fred Soto is an Attorney and Entrepreneur from the Silicon Valley.
Email this author | All posts by Fred Soto