CIA interrogation methods are almost illegal, says lawyer

Washington, Apr. 17 (ANI): Most of the interrogative techniques that the Central Intelligence Agency has been approved to use, are considered to be torture under federal law or international treaties, according to a US Justice Department lawyer.

Lawyers in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel felt that the CIA was using almost illegal methods of interrogation.

"The question is substantial and difficult," Justice Department official Steven Bradbury write in a May 2005 memo.

Bradbury expressed reservations about plans to subject detainees to a combination of the "enhanced" techniques while also being told that interrogators "will do what it takes to get important information.

"The top Justice Department attorney said it was possible a detainee might view that as a threat of severe physical pain, exposure to mind-altering substances, or perhaps even...imminent death," the Politico quoted him, as saying.

Bradbury went on raising doubts about serial waterboardings method of the interrogation that was not authorized anywhere else.

"Comparisons to the military's counter-interrogation training involving the simulated drowning technique known as the waterboard not were of limited utility because while the military subjected its trainees to just one such session the CIA was authorized to conduct a series of back-to-back waterboardings under an extremely detailed protocol," he noted in the memo. (ANI)