WP,pg1: Worried CIA Officers Buy Legal Insurance

[DeepModem Mom]

Worried CIA Officers Buy Legal Insurance
Plans Fund Defense In Anti-Terror Cases
By R. Jeffrey Smith
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, September 11, 2006; Page A01

CIA counterterrorism officers have signed up in growing numbers for a government-reimbursed, private insurance plan that would pay their civil judgments and legal expenses if they are sued or charged with criminal wrongdoing, according to current and former intelligence officials and others with knowledge of the program.

The new enrollments reflect heightened anxiety at the CIA that officers may be vulnerable to accusations they were involved in abuse, torture, human rights violations and other misconduct, including wrongdoing related to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. They worry that they will not have Justice Department representation in court or congressional inquiries, the officials said.

The anxieties stem partly from public controversy about a system of secret CIA prisons in which detainees were subjected to harsh interrogation methods, including temperature extremes and simulated drowning. The White House contends the methods were legal, but some CIA officers have worried privately that they may have violated international law or domestic criminal statutes.

Details of the rough interrogations could come to light if trials are held for any of the approximately 100 detainees who were held in the prisons....Terrorism suspects' defense attorneys are expected to argue that admissions made by their clients were illegally coerced as the result of policies set in Washington.

Justice Department political appointees have strongly backed the CIA interrogations. But "there are a lot of people who think that subpoenas could be coming" from Congress after the November elections or from federal prosecutors if Democrats capture the White House in 2008, said a retired senior intelligence officer who remains in contact with former colleagues in the agency's Directorate of Operations, which ran the secret prisons....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/10/AR2006091001286.html?nav=hcmodule

[Bozita]

1. looks like the House is about to change hands

who better to know?

[krispos42]

2. Yeah, this is really strengthening our overseas intel

Incompetent directors, outing NOC field agents, spraying sensitive intelligence across the internet and newspapers, and ordering illegal activities. No wonder the CIA people are jumping ship with the NSA people.

We're going to get hit again, but all the Repubs will start screaming about how only THEY can save the country! That that is why we NEED to keep them in office! And to expand the USA Patriot Act! Anybody with an ounce of sense can see that.

[gorbal]

3. Notice how they discuss the 'less' horrible tactics

They are carefull to leave out the tactics that actually killed quite a few prisoners.

[rodeodance]

4. Justice will defend administrators only--not the 'grunts'

.....They worry that they will not have Justice Department representation in court or congressional inquiries, the officials said.

[annabanana]

5. I hope they take the whole miserable torturing murderous

thieving tower of power down with them...

[ecoalex]

6. What about lying to go to Iraq?..Oh No biggie

[robinlynne]

7. I don't want my tax dollars paying for their lawyers!

[Supersedeas]

8. Hopefully CIA Officers are familiar with the al-Libi case

Google Al-Libi and rendition and have a look

[Cameron27]

9. !

[TexasLawyer]

10. moral hazard

The wide availability of insurance for this might embolden officers to interrogate even more "roughly".

[Sgent]

12. I thought insurance for criminal prosecution

was illegal in most (all?) states for just that reason?

[chill_wind]

11. K&R nt

[Javaman]

13. bum bum...bum bum...bum bum...

this week on 24...Jack Bower goes to court...