US - Justice

US to revamp policy on detention and interrogation

Article published on the 2009-08-24 Latest update 2009-08-25 05:38 TU

American marines escorting Afghan prisoners, 18 December 2001
(Photo: AFP)

In the United States, the Justice department’s Ethics Office has recommended reopening nearly a dozen prisoner-abuse cases. This could potentially expose CIA employees and contractors to prosecution for the way terror suspects were treated. President Barack Obama has just approved the creation of an elite team of interrogators to question key terrorist suspects.

The Justice Department’s Ethics Office is to disclose details on prisoner abuse that was gathered in 2004 by the CIA Inspector General but that haven't yet been released.

At the time, the CIA decided none of the cases merited prosecution according to The New York Times.

The CIA is reported to have used a handgun and an electric drill to frighten a captured Abd al-Rahim, an Al-Qaeda commander, into giving information. He is also reported to have been threatened with death and grave injury if he refused to cooperate.

The recommendations to review these closed cases mainly involves allegations on detainee abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Obama has signed off on a High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group which will be made up of several intelligence and law enforcement agencies and which will be overseen by the National Security Council.

The task forces findings will be made public on Monday and are said to recommend new interrogation units and changes regarding the way prisoners are transferred overseas.

Overhauling the interrogation system one of Obama’s declared priorities after taking office.