Justice Department

DOJ: No Charges In CIA Torture Tape Destruction

Ryan J. Reilly | November 9, 2010, 12:37PM

Attorney General Eric Holder

Federal prosecutors will not file criminal charges against anyone for destroying CIA videotapes that depicted the harsh interrogation of terrorism detainees during the Bush administration, the Justice Department confirmed on Tuesday.

A Justice Department spokesman said in a statement that after an "exhaustive investigation into the matter," a federal prosecutor "has concluded that he will not pursue criminal charges for the destruction of the interrogation videotapes."

The news was first reported by NPR's Carrie Johnson. NPR's report cites two sources close to the investigation who said Assistant U.S. Attorney John Durham has concluded there is not enough evidence to bring an indictment.

Read more »

CIA Tapes

DOJ Mum As Deadline Passes To Prosecute CIA Torture Tapes Destruction

Ryan J. Reilly | November 8, 2010, 3:55PM

Attorney General Eric Holder

The statute of limitations for criminal prosecution in the destruction of videotapes that allegedly showed CIA officials torturing two inmates is set to expire today. But Justice Department officials aren't publicly saying anything about it.

The videotapes that reportedly contained evidence of the use of so-called "enhanced interrogation techniques" during the questioning of Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri were destroyed by the CIA back in November 2005, which means the statute of limitations expires today, as pointed out by Firedoglake.

Justice Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler referred TPMMuckraker's questions about the statute of limitations expiration to a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Connecticut, where John Durham (the federal prosecutor handling the matter) is based. That spokesman, Tom Carson, did not return a message requesting comment.

Read more »

CIA Tapes

Tapes Of Secret CIA Interrogations Of 9/11 Plotter Ramzi Binalshibh Discovered

Ryan J. Reilly | August 17, 2010, 10:10AM

Detainees at Guantanamo Bay

Not all of the CIA torture tapes were destroyed as the CIA has claimed, according to a new Associated Press report. In fact, the agency is in possession of two videotapes and one audio tape that it discovered under a desk back in 2007.

Several current and former U.S. officials speaking on the condition of anonymity told the AP that the tapes depict Binalshibh's interrogation sessions at the hand of the CIA at a Moroccan-run facility the agency used near Rabat in 2002.

Read more »

Justice Department

Holder: CIA Torture Review Almost Done

Justin Elliott | June 18, 2010, 11:23AM

Attorney General Eric Holder

Attorney General said Thursday evening that the Justice Department prosecutor conducting a review of torture of detainees by the CIA, which was launched last August, is "close to the end of the time that he needs and will be making some recommendations to me," Main Justice reports.

Read more »