**Heat from Destroying the Torture Videos is Nothing Compared to if the Tapes are found:CIA/FOIA

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Jose Rodriguez: CIA’s Director of Clandestine Service

In 2002 an alleged Al-Qaeda member Abu Zabaydah was transferred to a “black prison” in Thailand. There, the CIA waterboarded him 83 times in one month, kept him naked in his cell, subjected him to extreme cold, deprived him from sleep for days, and forced him to listen to extremely loud music.

On 9 November 2005 the 92 videos of this “enhanced interrogation” were destroyed. One email shows that Jose Rodriguez Jr., the CIA’s Director of Clandestine Service justified the destruction by saying, “the heat from destroying [the torture videos] is nothing compared to what it would be if the tapes ever got into the public domain.”

Today’s Documents –obtained by the ACLU on 15 April 2010– also show that the methods used on Zabaydah went even beyond those approved in the expansive Yoo and Bybee Torture Memos. In April 2002, “due to a misunderstanding” Zabaydah was subjected to more than the approved 48 hours of sleep deprivation. Additionally, “the disparity in numbers” and the “method of water application” used on Zabaydah was also “at odds with the Bybee opinion.”

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CIA Abu Zubaida Interrogation Photo

Despite 2004 instructions from Attorney General Roberto Gonzalez and Legal Counsel David Addington not to destroy the tapes, a request for their destruction was made on 5 November 2005. This request (whose author is still unknown) dubiously citied the support of the Inspector General and General Counsel for the destruction of the videos. Five days later, Rodriguez sent a memo approving the destruction of the tapes. The memo repeated the dubious claim that, “no legal or OIG requirement to continue to retain the tapes” existed. The 92 tapes were destroyed on 9 November 2008 from 910 AM to 1230 PM.

The request to destroy the tapes was made just days after the Washington Post revealed that the CIA was using covert “black site” prisons to detain prisoners in the War on Terror. Including one in Thailand. Coincidence?

Two emails (their author is also unknown) shed the most light about the reasons for the destruction of the videos. The first email, written to CIA Executive Director Dusty Foggo (who was eventually convicted of committing bribery in the Duke Cunningham scandal), explained that if the tapes went public they “would make us [the CIA] look terrible.” Therefore, the email recounted, Rodreuez, prefered to take the lesser heat of destroying evidence than the greater heat of possibly being exposed as a torturer. CIA Director Porter Goss (apparently not too concerned) joked that he might actually be the one who took the heat.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/050027bc4d36.jpg[/atsimg]"Believe this is the end of it."

The second email is more damning. First, it stated that the memo requesting to destroy the tapes either “lied” about or “misstated” the Inspector General’s permission to destroy the documents. Second, it reveals that those who wanted the videos to be destroyed were active in Zabaydah’s “interrogation.” Here’s million dollar sentence: “It is not without relevance that [redacted] figured prominently in the tapes, as [redacted] was in charge of [redacted] at the time and clearly would want the tapes destroyed.” That’s right, a CIA agent may have tortured a prisoner, and then fibbed in a memo asking that the tapes of him possibly committing this torture be destroyed. And his request to destroy the evidence was approved by Jose Rodriguez.

So will those complicit in tapes’ destruction “avoid the heat?” We’ll see. The Washington Post recently reported that Assistant U.S. Attorney John H. Durham’s two-year investigation of the tape’s destruction is winding down; he may soon announce incitements. Jose Rodriguez has refused to testify. Guess he can’t take the heat.

Source: nsarchive.wordpress.com... -if-the-tapes-ever-got-into-the-public-domain-%e2%80%9d/
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I have to admit I am at a loss for words on this one. Yes, I believe the US has the right to do whatever it has to get info that can/will save American citizens and/or property.

What I have a problem with is them destroying the eveidence or documentation they possess that show what they did, why, when and what info or intel was obtained.

They should be happy/proud to have this stuff on tape to protect them legally from the likes of the ALCU. If they were doing their assigned tasks/jobs as trained and instructed-they should have to worry.

This is just casting a darker shadow over the CIA and the US as a whole.

Pretty intense to look at the actually CIA photograph of the suspect after being talked to. Up close and personal. I started to feel for the guy-and then I remember those poor souls jumping out of the World Trade Center. Then I think: Death to them all and the torture can't be bad enough.




[edit on 6/4/2010 by anon72]

[edit on 6/4/2010 by anon72]

[edit on 6/4/2010 by anon72]

reply to post by anon72


Reminds me of Nixon's miracle. Although here they didn't even try to claim it was an accident, they just said "man this could be bad, destroy the evidence now".

I wonder what other tapes they destroyed, I've seen rumors of child rapes to get suspects to confess, or make up confessions... Perhaps straight-out executions, torture other than waterboarding... People don't bleed from waterboarding, as the provided photo clearly shows.

It's like flushing drugs down the toilet during a police raid.

I think it's odd it's in Thailand. Now, Thailand has a major sex industry and I wonder if there were any occurrences of innocent people finding themselves in these secret prisons. We probably only know a few basic facts about these prisons, one, they're secret, and two, nobody knows where they are- Under or in apartments, houses, warehouses.

No wonder they destroyed the tapes

if the tapes went public they “would make us [the CIA] look terrible

They only want to justify there own existence because of the mess they created.

Nothing will make the Criminal Immoral Agency look good.

Originally posted by anon72

Pretty intense to look at the actually CIA photograph of the suspect after being talked to. Up close and personal. I started to feel for the guy-and then I remember those poor souls jumping out of the World Trade Center. Then I think: Death to them all and the torture can't be bad enough.

Only one slight problem with that, how do you KNOW he was guilty?

People will say anything to make torture stop so it has ZERO value as an investigative tool.

It does work wonders for the interrogators and their aides. They lose their humanity quite splendidly. I'm sure many of them could slow cook a baby on a barbeque grill and not bat an eyelid. Provided it was a "terrorist" baby of course.

We are a sick nation and I find this disgusting, inhuman and UNAMERICAN.

We're supposed to be the good guys, remember?

The whole world views us as killers and destroyers now with no conscience.

How foolish we were to allow Bush/Cheney to lead us into 2 wars that still have no end in sight. These wars have ruined us financially and destroyed any chance for our children to find the american dream.

I can't see the difference between so called "terrorists" and the CIA except that one group swears on a flag and the other a book.

We won't live this down for at least a century.

reply to post by Asktheanimals


Well, you do bring up a very excellent point-How do we know he was guilty. Hmmmm.

Well, I will take them at their word for it. But, remember, I said they need those tapes and documents to prove they were doing as taught, instructed and commissioned to do.

Now that it is out, we'll see who comes forward-if anyone.

reply to post by star in a jar


Child rapes? What do you mean. They forced the prisoner to have sex and then video tape it for some type of power/control over them?

I don't know. If that is what you meant, I can't even think that would be true. If I am not correct, please explain.

So when I pay federal taxes, I am financing torture?

sorry about the one liner

reply to post by seataka


Ah yes, the: You pay taxes to a Gov't that supports terror on Arabs yada yada etc.

If that were the case, then I guess we all should have a bigger say in how that money is spent!

I could see that happening someday, expecially if the current Administartion continues it's ways. I would like to do a surprise attack on a terrorist group. We will have a vote on next Tuesday for funding approval, Remember to vote! lol