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Born at the Crest of the Empire

Saturday, December 08, 2007

The destroyed tapes - a second claim of criminality

I don't know if this is the same source that the NYTimes used, but a second article (second source?) makes the same claim relating to the destruction of the "interrogation" tapes.
A well informed source tells CBS News the videotapes of U.S. interrogations of two high level al Qaeda operatives were destroyed to protect CIA officers from criminal prosecution, reports CBS News national security correspondent David Martin.

This means that not only is there someone out there who knows, but that someone is willing to tell the press.

(What was the genesis of the NYTimes story? Someone brought it to them? Slipped it over the transom?)

Also, I find it interesting that this damaging story has so little exposure for the leaker on the "national security" front. As the basis of the CIA defense is that these tapes no longer had intelligence value, there can't be the huge outcry that secrets were lost.

Whoever spawned this story is very, very good.

(Also, Why now? Were they waiting for Gonzales to leave?)

Later: The NYTimes continues the story citing White House, DoJ, and Congressional figures all warning against destroying the tapes. Meanwhile, the guy who did it, "Mr. Rodriguez could not be reached Friday for comment." Also,
Several former intelligence officials also said there was great concern that the tapes, which recorded hours of grueling interrogations, could have set off controversies about the legality of the interrogations and generate a backlash in the Middle East.

According to one former intelligence official, the C.I.A. then decided to keep the tapes at the C.I.A. stations in the countries where Abu Zubaydah and Mr. Nashiri were interrogated.
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