CIA 'pressure' on al-Qa'eda chief

The Daily Telegraph ^ | March 5, 2003 | Toby Harnden

[MadIvan]

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the captured al-Qa'eda chief who allegedly helped to mastermind the September 11 attacks, probably does not know what country he is in or even what day it is.

American officials have said with some satisfaction that he is being subjected to "all appropriate pressure" while his CIA interrogators employ the "full range of permissible techniques" to get him to talk.

While Ari Fleischer, President George W Bush's spokesman, said his treatment would be "humane", CIA agents said he was being held outside America so that he would not be subject to constitutional protections.

With potentially thousands of lives at stake, Mohammed's rights are not high on the list of priorities for those holding him in a location thought to be either Bagram air base in Afghanistan, the island of Diego Garcia or Uzbekistan.

In September, Cofer Black, then head of the CIA counterterrorism centre, was said to have testified that interrogators had been given greater leeway in interpreting the law because the importance of the information they were seeking.

"This is a very highly classified area," he was quoted as saying. "But I have to say to you all you need to know: there was a before 9/11 and there was an after 9/11. After 9/11, the gloves came off."

Abu Zubaydah, another senior al-Qa'eda leade, broke under interrogation after being captured in Pakistan last March. Some US officials suggested that his painkillers, needed because he had been shot in the groin, had been selectively administered.

Intelligence sources said psychological pressure was often more effective than brute force. CIA profilers had already compiled a dossier on his personal habits, including his alleged fondness for prostitutes and high living, and would be au fait with every potential weakness.

Larry Johnson, a former CIA officer, said a "sleep deprivation and a reward system" would be used to toy with Mohammed.

His conditions would be less than comfortable. "I don't see a constitutional right to have eight hours of sleep," he said. "You shouldn't subject someone to freezing but they don't get to wear mink coats, either."

Tom Ridge, the US homeland security secretary, said: "It will be very, very difficult to extricate information from this guy at this time. But there is a potential source of information here that could help us in the long run defeat al-Qa'eda and identify and bring Osama bin Laden to justice."

[MadIvan]

Good.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[sofaman]

thanks, ivan.

Of course, the last thing that I will be doing is losing sleep over this guy!

May his soul rot in hell.

[guitfiddlist]

Just make sure there's plenty of ice handy...

[Sacajaweau]

bump

[Go Gordon]

needed because he had been shot in the groin,

I hate when that happens...

[Go Gordon]

can you help me with this one? explain this to me.... how can constituitional rights be applied when he is not a citizen let alone that he is an enemy of the state? did he land on the shores of the us seeking asylum?

I think one of the concerns, is that if they are on US soil, the interrogators themselves are constrained, more than if they are on, how should I say, more friendly shores to getting people to talk.

[sofaman]

ABC News reporting that this momzer has started talking. The CIA is, however, not sure if he is telling the truth.

He is going to get his peepee slapped if he tries to mislead.

[COBOL2Java]

...there was a before 9/11 and there was an after 9/11. After 9/11, the gloves came off."

On that comforting note, I'll turn in.

[Arpege92]

"American officials have said with some satisfaction that he is being objected to "all appropriate pressure" while his interrogators employ "the full range of permissible techniques" to get him to talk".


You can't say the same for those who were tortured at the hands of Saddam and his evil sons! I bet these guys get this lump of nothing to cry like a baby....oh well, I will sleep good tonight anyway!!!

[pttttt]

With potentially thousands of lives at stake, Mohammed's rights are not high on the list of priorities for those holding him in a location thought to be either Bagram air base in Afghanistan, the island of Diego Garcia or Uzbekistan.

Could be a lot of places. I wonder what the Israelis would do with someone like this. Oh well, who knows.

[MinuteGal]

It's always leaked that the perp is "starting to talk" whether he is or not. Part of the psychological technique. This throws the world-wide terrorist cohourts and minions of this prisoner into fear and disarray.

This guy is hard-core and fanatically obsessed with his cause. He'll be a tough nut to crack. But I do believe he will crack in the long run.

Ve haf our methods, ja!

Leni

[AmericanInTokyo]

"Slapped?" "Slapped?" Why, they probably twisted 'it' off by now.... ;-)

[TBall]

I could make him talk.

[Coop]

BTTT

[XEHRpa]

CIA profilers had already compiled a dossier on his personal habits, including his alleged fondness for prostitutes

Hmmm... trying to get a head start on those 72 virgins, eh? Maybe we can use "special" CIA techniques to make him think he already died and went to heaven.

Can we get Charlton Heston to play the role of "God"?

[WillVoteForFood]

Before they go for the cold treatment, they need to shave off his winter coat.

[TBall]

Yeah there are a lot ways to mess with the mind. No doubt the interrogators will likely have some fun after info is extracted.

[Mark17]

Can we get Charlton Heston to play the role of "God"?

Maybe so, unfortunately, John Denver is no longer available for the part.