Rep. Nadler: Inspector General Report Shows Need for Clarity in Law on Interrogation Policies
Press Release
Rep. Nadler: Inspector General Report Shows Need for Clarity in Law on Interrogation Policies
Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-08), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, today issued the following statement regarding the Department of Justice Inspector General's review of the FBI's involvement in interrogations of detainees held by the United States at Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, and Iraq:
"This long-anticipated report helps shed some light on the Bush Administration's torture policies. It is clear that the vast majority of FBI agents did not, and in some cases, clearly refused to participate in the so-called enhanced interrogations' of detainees. But it is troubling that FBI agents were not required to report abuse or mistreatment of detainees by non-FBI personnel so long as it fell short of a crime.' However, it is reassuring that many FBI agents made clear their concerns and objections to the interrogation methods being used in Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
"Unfortunately, these concerns, relayed to both then Attorney General John Ashcroft and then Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson, fell on deaf ears. The leadership at the FBI and the Justice Department failed to meet the opportunity and obligation to end the torture of detainees. The admirable actions taken by those brave FBI agents willing to speak out were undermined by those who led them.
"With this report in hand, Congress must act. We need to bring clarity to the law to ensure that our government does not engage in torture. Congress should pass legislation that I, along with Congressman Delahunt, have introduced -- the American Anti-Torture Act, which would ensure a single, uniform, baseline standard for all interrogations conducted by our intelligence community. Additionally, the Bush Administration must provide Congress with the answers it seeks regarding how these torture policies were created. We need to restore a fundamental respect for the rule of law."
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