Spring Break
Destruction of tapes raises serious questions
Sean Reed
Issue date: 12/10/07 Section: Opinion
The fact that the CIA destroyed this evidence of the use of this technique while it is still being examined whether or not it constitutes a violation of the Geneva Convention is a questionable move at best. Even more, it also raises the question as to whether or not other, unlawful, coercive practices were used during the inmates' questioning.
Perhaps the biggest implication of the tapes' destruction, however, is the affect the move could have on future trials of terror suspects tracked down using evidence collected during the interrogations.
According to the New York Times, at least five detainees in Guantanamo Bay were charged based on information received by Zubaydah.
Because the only hard documentation of the interrogations have been destroyed, the credibility of the information against terror suspects that has come from Zubaydah or al-Nashiri could be called into question. With no real documentation of the manner in which these men responded physically to their interrogations, attorneys could argue that the information they gave was invented as a response to the coercive techniques of the questioners, military defense attorneys told the New York Times.
In this way, the agency that is supposed to be working round the clock has potentially put our national security at risk, by allowing a loophole for potential terrorist to sneak through.
I do not support the way the military handles prisoners in Guantanamo Bay, but seriously, if they really want to be tough on terror, the government ought, at the very least, not to be threatening the integrity of investigations by destroying evidence.
Sean Reed is a junior political science major. His column appears Mondays in the Collegian. Letters and feedback can be sent to letters@collegian.com.
Perhaps the biggest implication of the tapes' destruction, however, is the affect the move could have on future trials of terror suspects tracked down using evidence collected during the interrogations.
According to the New York Times, at least five detainees in Guantanamo Bay were charged based on information received by Zubaydah.
Because the only hard documentation of the interrogations have been destroyed, the credibility of the information against terror suspects that has come from Zubaydah or al-Nashiri could be called into question. With no real documentation of the manner in which these men responded physically to their interrogations, attorneys could argue that the information they gave was invented as a response to the coercive techniques of the questioners, military defense attorneys told the New York Times.
In this way, the agency that is supposed to be working round the clock has potentially put our national security at risk, by allowing a loophole for potential terrorist to sneak through.
I do not support the way the military handles prisoners in Guantanamo Bay, but seriously, if they really want to be tough on terror, the government ought, at the very least, not to be threatening the integrity of investigations by destroying evidence.
Sean Reed is a junior political science major. His column appears Mondays in the Collegian. Letters and feedback can be sent to letters@collegian.com.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Chris Ernst
posted 12/11/07 @ 3:35 PM MST
Sean,
Nice article. I suggest you focusing on the destruction of tapes a little closer to home, like the ones destroyed in the Tim Masters case. I dont think you guys have covered this case at all. (Continued…)
Peace Love
posted 12/12/07 @ 8:55 PM MST
"Suspected potential terrorists"
"Particularly troubling"
"Attorneys in both the White House and the Justice Department"
"Severe interrogations"
"Waterboarding amounts to torture"
"Aggressive forms of interrogation"
And people wonder why 3000 American civilians were slaughtered by suspected potential terrorists. (Continued…)
Oh Tham Eng
posted 12/14/07 @ 3:31 AM MST
Welcome to the Never-Never Land!
It's of course very sad that 'torture' has to be used sometimes to extract information from those demonoids. Sad also that some Americans are agonising more over how to ensure those demonoids have a nice time in American prison enjoying nice American food and a protected, cosy life at the expense of American taxpayers. (Continued…)
Bdygard
Craig Hawley
posted 12/18/07 @ 12:33 AM MST
Great the tapes were destroyed. If I could have i would have destroyed them my self.
No reason to keep them. The only reason the Liberals and Democrats want the tapes it to one destroy the administration , two to undermine the war and our intelligence agency's , and three to leak it to the press so it can go global and cause the deaths of thousands of people from the backlash. (Continued…)
Post a Comment