Democrats seek probe into destruction of CIA videotapes
CIA director told agency employees that the tapes were made in 2002 and destroyed in 2005.
Revelations that the CIA secretly destroyed videotapes of interrogations roiled the Capitol Hill Friday, as Democrats called for investigations into the circumstances surrounding the spy agency's actions.
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., called on the Intelligence Committee to investigate why the CIA destroyed at least two tapes of officials interrogating terrorist suspects. CIA Director Michael Hayden told agency employees in a letter Thursday that the tapes were made in 2002 and destroyed in 2005. Durbin speculated that the tapes might show laws were broken, adding that he would ask Attorney General Mukasey to investigate if any crimes were committed.
"To think that this agency would destroy evidence -- evidence that might have been used against them -- really I think is something we cannot leave alone," Durbin said. "Obviously there's a fear among some that some of the information contained is going to be troublesome if not incriminating."
House Homeland Security Intelligence Subcommittee Chairwoman Jane Harman, D-Calif., also called for an investigation. Senate Intelligence Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., said he is inclined to launch a probe, but first wants to consult with Intelligence ranking member Christopher (Kit) Bond, R-Mo.
Rockefeller said he learned of the existence of the tapes in 2003 or 2004, but was never informed that they had been destroyed.
"They destroyed them without letting us know, without asking our permission, without consulting, without informing us in any way," Rockefeller said. He added that he never saw the tapes and neither did any other member of Congress to the best of his knowledge. Hayden said in his letter that intelligence oversight committees in Congress were told that the tapes were destroyed, but he did not specify when that notification occurred. Harman said that to her knowledge the House Intelligence Committee was never informed. She served as ranking member of the committee until the end of last year.
Bond defended the CIA, saying the tapes were destroyed after it was determined that nothing wrong was done. "There is nothing inherently sinister about it," Bond said. "The interrogations are thoroughly reviewed by people on the ground. As many as eight people are supervising with tapes. They are further reviewed to make sure they're [following] the law," he said.
Hayden said the CIA's office of general counsel examined the tapes and determined they showed lawful methods of questioning. He also said the CIA's inspector general examined the tapes in 2003.
Hayden said the tapes were destroyed because they no longer had value and because, if leaked, they could compromise the identity of CIA operatives. Democrats did not accept Hayden's reasoning.
"We know that there are ways to protect the identity of people involved in videotapes. You can black out their faces and protect their identity," Durbin said.
Democrats also believe that news about the tapes will build public support for a provision they added to the fiscal 2008 intelligence authorization bill that would bar the intelligence community from using interrogation techniques that are not authorized by the U.S. Army Field Manual.
It is mainly intended to prohibit the CIA from using torture. Key Republicans and the White House, however, oppose the provision, complicating efforts to win final congressional approval for the bill.