Former Prisoner to Detail Torture on 60 Minutes

President's wartime powers override law, document argued

(NEWSER) - Laws banning torture and assault should not apply to US military interrogators overseas, argues a 2003 Justice Department memo released yesterday. The Defense Department was told not to rely on the memo nine months after it was issued, but it established a legal foundation for controversial interrogations, the Washington Post reports. The document contends that presidential wartime powers override laws and treaties, and details justifications for using aggressive tactics against suspected terrorists. More»

That includes Gitmo and Bagram, where most CIA suspects are held

(NEWSER) - From now on, military personnel must tape any interrogations that take place on a major military base, and are aimed at gathering “strategic intelligence,” according to a new order from the Pentagon. The regulations would apply to Guantanamo Bay, and Bagram Air Base, where the CIA is holding most of its suspected terrorists, the Wall Street Journal reports. It specifically does not apply, however, to troops in the field. More»

(NEWSER) - A Pentagon report concludes that 74 of 534 prisoners released from Guantanamo Bay returned to militant activity—a recidivism rate of 14%, or about 1 in 7, the New York Times notes. The report, still under review, could complicate President Obama’s goal of shutting the facility by January because of concerns about where remaining prisoners will go. He’ll offer more details of the plan tomorrow. More»

Torture claims will be central to defense

(NEWSER) - A suspected al-Qaeda terrorist held at Guantanamo Bay for six years has been charged with masterminding the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole that killed 17 sailors and injured 50 others. The treatment of Saudi prisoner Abd al Rahim al-Nashiri in custody, which included waterboarding by interrogators, will be a key element of his defense, reports the Washington Post. More»

80 protesters arrested on 6th anniversary of first detainees

(NEWSER) - Four British citizens who spent over two years at Guantanamo Bay before being released without charge have been told they can't sue Pentagon officials, Reuters reports. The men brought the lawsuit over alleged torture, abuse, and violations of their religious rights. The US appeals court ruling yesterday said the defendants, including Donald Rumsfeld, had immunity because they were acting within their jobs; and religious protections don't apply to aliens held outside US territory. More»