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Obama defends release of CIA interrogation memos

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] US President Barack Obama on Monday defended  his recent decision to release memos describing interrogation methods employed by CIA  officials in questioning Guantanamo Bay detainees. He made the remarks to CIA officials who had expressed concern that their release would compromise the agency's ability to conduct effective interrogations. Obama said that due to widespread speculation about the memos, it was in the best interest of the US to acknowledge publicly their existence. Obama also said that while information on the techniques was released, he would continue to protect the identities of CIA agents: I have fought to protect the integrity of classified information in the past, and I will do so in the future. And there is nothing more important than protecting the identities of CIA officers. So I need everybody to be clear: we will protect your identities and your security as you vigorously pursue your missions. I will be as vigorous in protecting you as you are vigorous in protecting the American people.On Tuesday, Obama confirmed that he would not seek the prosecution of agents involved in the interrogations, but said that he would not rule out holding lawyers who authored the memos accountable for the alleged abuse. Obama said that Attorney General Eric Holder would determine whether they would be prosecuted. The public release of the memos came in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) during the George W. Bush administration. The ACLU has also called for an independent investigator to probe allegations of torture during the Bush administration. Obama has pledged not to prosecute the individual CIA agents involved in the alleged illegal interrogations, despite calls  by UN special rapporteur on torture Manfred Nowak and others to do so.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on April 21, 2009 (boomark / email).