CIA destroyed videographic proof of torture

Does this actually surprise anyone?

The Central Intelligence Agency in 2005 destroyed at least two videotapes documenting the interrogation of two Al Qaeda operatives in the agency’s custody, a step it took in the midst of Congressional and legal scrutiny about the C.I.A’s secret detention program, according to current and former government officials.

The videotapes showed agency operatives in 2002 subjecting terror suspects — including Abu Zubaydah, the first detainee in C.I.A. custody — to severe interrogation techniques. They were destroyed in part because officers were concerned that tapes documenting controversial interrogation methods could expose agency officials to greater risk of legal jeopardy, several officials said.

The C.I.A. said today that the decision to destroy the tapes had been made “within the C.I.A. itself,” and they were destroyed to protect the safety of undercover officers and because they no longer had intelligence value. The agency was headed at the time by Porter J. Goss. Through a spokeswoman, Mr. Goss declined this afternoon to comment on the destruction of the tapes.

So they destroyed evidence to save their own asses.  I’d be far more surprised if they didn’t do it, to be quite honest.  The CIA believes that it is a law unto itself, and always has.

I doubt it was really done to protect the safety of undercover officers, though.  It was undoubtedly done to cover up evidence of war crimes.

Source:  New York Times

Originally posted on Adventures in Frickintardistan