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CIA Denies Cheney Request for Torture Docs
Bush-era order on docs under pending litigation stymies ex-VP
By Harry Kimball
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Posted May 14, 09 2:04 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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The CIA today denied Dick Cheney’s request that documents possibly proving the effectiveness of enhanced interrogation techniques be declassified, MSNBC reports. An executive order “excludes from review information that is the subject of pending litigation,” the CIA said. The two documents “contain information that falls into that category.” The order was signed by former President Bush, the New York Daily News adds.
“For that reason—and that reason only—CIA did not accept Mr. Cheney's request for a Mandatory Declassification Review,” the agency continued. “The Agency simply followed the Executive Order. This request was handled in accordance with normal practice by CIA professionals with long experience in information management and release. It was for them a straightforward issue.”