Posted on 01/02/2008 3:09:25 PM PST by gondramB
WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department said today that it has opened a full investigation into possible criminal wrongdoing associated with the CIA's destruction of videotaped interrogations of terror suspects.
The disclosure last month that the CIA had destroyed two such tapes in 2005 -- which included footage of harsh interrogation methods -- touched off a political and legal firestorm. The Justice Department and the CIA Office of the Inspector General had been conducting a preliminary inquiry in the wake of those disclosures to see whether there was evidence of potential crimes, and whether a formal investigation should be pursued.
"The department's National Security division has recommended, and I have concluded, that there is a basis for initiating a criminal investigation of this matter, and I have taken steps to begin that investigation," Atty. Gen. Michael B. Mukasey said in a prepared statement, adding that he had appointed John Durham, the first assistant U.S. attorney in Connecticut, to oversee the investigation.
Investigations of the CIA are normally overseen by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Mukasey said the office was recused from investigating the tapes matter. He said that the move was to avoid the possible appearance of a conflict "with other matters handled by that office" but did not elaborate.
Though the opening of an investigation does not mean that criminal charges will necessarily follow, it does raise the stakes for the agency and its employees who were either involved in or had knowledge of the tapes incident. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
I dunno whether or not this is just more stupidity from Justice, but iffen it causes pain in the traitorous CIA and touches those Anti-Bushites it’s worth it.
Witch hunt in pursuit of “bipartisanship.” Bush will never learn.
Wake me when there’s a criminal probe into Joe Wilson’s and Valerie Plame’s lies, including in her testimony to Congress last year.
More like letting it be fully disclosed that the WH and others including Porter Goss told them NOT to destroy those tapes. It will prove who is at fault the lefties in the CIA.
>>More like letting it be fully disclosed that the WH and others including Porter Goss told them NOT to destroy those tapes. It will prove who is at fault the lefties in the CIA.<<
If that were case and they wanted it out, its odd to have opposed the probe so strongly.
It is the case. That’s on record. WH and Porter Goss had NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with it.
Do I have that right?
Who knows what this means?
The only thing certain is that the media will make a circus out of it, whatever Bush’s intentions might be. Whatever he intends, it keeps the matter alive, and that’s what they want.
His record for handling this kind of Democrat attack on his administration is extremely poor. I’d say it’s something like zero for a hundred.
>>So we have a probe, to see if any criminal acts were committed in trying to protect the identity of CIA operatives, after we previously had a probe, into possible criminal acts for revealing the identity of a CIA operative.
Do I have that right?<<
That sure is how it looks at first glance.
>>Who knows what this means?
The only thing certain is that the media will make a circus out of it, whatever Bush’s intentions might be. Whatever he intends, it keeps the matter alive, and that’s what they want.
His record for handling this kind of Democrat attack on his administration is extremely poor. I’d say it’s something like zero for a hundred.<<
Trying to think of something positive... maybe it will be less of a circus than a congressional investigation would have been
How about an investigation into the murder of Vince Foster and other associates of the Clintoons?
Yes, I can think of one positive. As long as the Justice Department is investigating it, they can refuse to talk to congress about it or submit to subpoena.
I don’t know if that can be done so it drags on through next November or not. Otherwise, it would just open it up again before the elections.
Another “play” put on in the Theater of Congress giving political opportunists - mostly Dimocraps - another soap box to be heard and the MSM another opportunity to misinform the voting public.
Excerpt from Update #3
>>U.S. Opens Criminal Probe of CIA Tape Destruction (Update3)
By James Rowley
Jan. 2 (Bloomberg) — The U.S. Justice Department opened a formal criminal investigation into the CIA’s 2005 destruction of videotapes made during the interrogation of two al-Qaeda operatives.
A preliminary inquiry by the CIA’s inspector general and the Justice Department’s national security division found ``a basis for initiating a criminal investigation of this matter,’’ Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey said in a statement. He named a veteran prosecutor who has investigated FBI corruption in Boston to lead the investigation. Democrats in Congress, including Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, praised the move.
Mukasey ordered the preliminary inquiry two days after Central Intelligence Agency Director Michael Hayden disclosed Dec. 6 that the tapes had been destroyed.
The videotapes recorded the 2002 use of harsh interrogation techniques on two detainees, al-Qaeda leader Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, a suspected al-Qaeda leader behind the USS Cole bombing in 2000. The tapes’ destruction occurred as the disclosure of such interrogation techniques as simulated drowning, or waterboarding, became a contentious political issue.
The inquiry is likely to examine allegations that the CIA obstructed the work of the commission that investigated the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
In an op-ed article published today by the New York Times, the panel’s chairman and vice chairman accused the CIA of concealing the tapes’ existence when the commission sought detailed information about interrogations of al-Qaeda operatives. <<
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aJS55my.wm4U&refer=home
Response from the President
Bush “strongly” supports CIA tapes probe
>>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush said on Thursday he strongly supports a Justice Department investigation into the destruction of CIA videotapes of interrogation of terrorism suspects, and that the White House would cooperate.
“I strongly support it. And we will participate,” Bush said in a Reuters interview.
It was his first public comment since the Justice Department said on Wednesday it had launched a criminal investigation into the CIA’s destruction of videotapes showing harsh interrogation of terrorism suspects.
Asked whether he had any concerns that the probe might raise questions about his counterterrorism policy, Bush replied: “See what it says. See what the investigation leads to.”<<
http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSWAT00862120080103
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