Gonzales: Holder's CIA Probe 'Legitimate'

Ex-AG compares torture to speeding (really)

(NEWSER) - Alberto Gonzales did not mean to endorse Eric Holder’s probe of alleged CIA torture during the Bush administration by calling it “legitimate,” the former AG tells the Washington Times, which broke the story. “I don't support the investigation by the department because this is a matter that has already been reviewed thoroughly,” he says. “Another investigation is going to harm our intelligence gathering capabilities.” More»

(NEWSER) - AG Eric Holder today named a special prosecutor to investigate allegations of torture against CIA operatives who interrogated terror suspects during the Bush administration, the Washington Post reports. John Durham, who is currently probing the destruction of interrogation tapes, will look into fewer than 12 cases detailed in a CIA report released today and determine if a full-scale investigation is warranted. The Bush-era Justice Department investigated and dismissed the cases. More»

Waterboarding helped lead us to bin Laden: Linda Chavez

(NEWSER) - Waterboarding played a role in leading us to Osama bin Laden, writes Linda Chavez. So why is the Obama administration still pursuing its investigation of CIA interrogators, she wonders at the Washington Examiner . These agents deserve thanks, not punishment. The Obama administration must know it doesn't make sense: "The president is perfectly willing to kill terrorists but not willing to waterboard them?" More»

(NEWSER) - After being waterboarded 183 times and deprived of sleep for a week, self-proclaimed 9/11 mastermind Kalid Sheikh Mohammed transformed from an avowed enemy of the US into a sort of CIA guest lecturer, the Washington Post reports. Two anonymous sources, looking to build the case that harsh interrogation worked, say that in 2005 and 2006, KSM gave what CIA officers called “terrorism tutorials,” expounding on al-Qaeda’s structure and even reprimanding his “class” for poor note-taking. More»

Eric Holder carves a new, powerful role as attorney general

(NEWSER) - The appointment of a federal prosecutor to investigate CIA interrogations exposed a long-running turf war between the intelligence agency and the Department of Justice—and demonstrated the substantial clout of AG Eric Holder, who prevailed in almost every dispute with CIA Director Leon Panetta. The New York Times and Washington Post both chart the push-pull leading up to this week's announcement, which began when Justice released largely unredacted memos authorizing waterboarding and other forms of torture. More»