Impending CIA Interrogation Report Creates Fear of Violence
U.S. embassies around the world are bracing for a potentially explosive
report about to be released that details what the CIA did to terror
suspects in the days after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, and the fear is
that its release could threaten American lives.
The report, due to be released Tuesday by the Senate, is described as
shocking in its very graphic descriptions of secret interrogations,
including some details that have never been heard before.
All U.S. facilities around the world are being urged to review security
and brace for the reaction, with concern particularly high in areas
where there are hot spots, in the Middle East and North Africa.
The CIA and the Bush administration have already faced heavy criticism for post 9/11 interrogation techniques at so-called "black sites" across the world.
The use of waterboarding
stopped many years ago, but, according to those who have seen this
report, ugly new details about those procedures will be revealed, where
prisoners were sexually demeaned, and CIA interrogators were urged to
continue, even after concluding that no more information could be
gleaned.
The Muslim world has erupted many times before when the U.S. and the
West have been accused of religious and cultural slights. The chairman
of the House Intelligence Committee said that if this report is
released, groups like ISIS will take full advantage.
House Intelligence Committee chairman Mike Rogers, R-Mich., said in an
interview with ABC News chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz that the report would provide ISIS and other terror organizations a public relations bonanza.
"They don't have to be accurate or right. They just have to believe it's
true and they will take advantage of that," Rogers said. "We know that
ISIL propaganda operations will -- this is the motherload for them."
Rogers said that there is credible warning that release of the report will endanger Americans around the world.
"You have foreign leaders saying this report in its current form will
incite violence," he said. "You have liaison partners in the
intelligence community saying this will incite violence. This will in
fact incite violence and it's likely to cost someone their life."
He said he thinks the release of the report should at least be delayed.
"I am hoping that there is a change of heart between now and Tuesday to at least suspend the report," he said.
Obama administration officials have said they favor making the report public, but on Friday Secretary of State John Kerry asked Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, to consider the timing of the release.
ABC News' Dean Schabner contributed to this report.
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