CIA called to testify over destruction of interrogation tapes

[ProSense]

CIA called to testify over destruction of interrogation tapes

by Roland Lloyd Parry
1 hour, 19 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) - CIA lawyers were to appear in court Friday to answer questions over whether the agency broke a judge's order when it destroyed videotapes allegedly showing the torture of terror suspects.

US District Court Judge Henry Kennedy summoned attorneys for the CIA and for "war on terror" prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay camp to give oral arguments on whether the agency violated his 2005 order to preserve such possible evidence of detainee mistreatment.

Friday's hearing comes as the controversy has put the administration of US President George W. Bush on the defensive amid allegations the tapes contained proof of US torture tactics.

Bush on Thursday refused to comment on the issue, saying he would await the results of an inquiry first, but he has repeatedly insisted that the US does not use torture.

more