Destroying The Tapes

Okay, this just seems wrong on so many levels.  It prompted a real shouting match this morning on Morning Joe – between Scarborough and David Shuster.  I’ll link to video, if I can find it.  I’m with Shuster on this one, particularly after I dug deep enough into the story to find out that some members of Congress advised the CIA not to destroy the tapes, after the CIA notified them of the plans.  Shouldn’t that have, at least, prompted some discussion?

UPDATE: Make sure you read beyond the jump for the latest information.  This is getting to be a huge issue.

Waterboarding Evidence

The Central Intelligence Agency in 2005 destroyed at least two videotapes documenting the interrogation of two Al Qaeda operatives in the agency’s custody, a step it took in the midst of Congressional and legal scrutiny about the C.I.A’s secret detention program, according to current and former [...]

You won’t find much support for destroying the tapes here…

Today’s Must Read

Usually, what nails you in Washington malfeasance is the cover-up, not the crime. With the revelation that the CIA in 2005 destroyed videotapes of interrogations of senior al-Qaeda detainees, it’ll be both. Start with the facts as they’re currently understood. In 2002, the CIA videotaped interrogations of Abu Zubaydah, the chief of al-Qaeda’s military committee, and an as-yet-unknown colleague. (My guess is that Detainee #2 is Ramzi bin al-Shibh, who, following his capture that September in Pakistan, was the second most important detainee then in custody.) During that time, [...]

Here’s the New York Times updated, online, version of the story.  Note, in particular, the comment from the law professor who says it’s a “big deal, a very big deal” if the tapes were destroyed. “Obstruction of justice” is the term he uses.

C.I.A. Destroyed 2 Tapes Showing Interrogations

Despite requests and amid scrutiny about its secret detention program, the C.I.A. did not give the videotapes to a federal court hearing or to the Sept. 11 commission [...]

Over at his blog, No Quarter, former CIA guy – Larry Johnson – explains it all, after the jump

Torture Tapes

Looks like the cat is out of the bag and the “new family jewels” were destroyed. What am I talking about? Today’s revelation in the NY Times that, “the Central Intelligence Agency in 2005 destroyed at least two videotapes documenting the interrogation of two Qaeda operatives in the agency’s custody, a step [...]

And, Glenn Greenwald has a bit of a history lesson for us, his post on Salon..

“Missing” evidence is familiar Bush pattern

…

In April, I compiled a long list of the numerous court proceedings and other investigations which were impeded by extremely dubious claims from the Bush administration that key evidence was mysteriously “missing.” Much of the “missing” evidence involved precisely the type of evidence that the CIA has now been forced here to admit it deliberately destroyed: namely, evidence showing the conduct of its agents during interrogation of detainees.  The most glaringly similar case was when, [...]

Indeed, this one is far from over.  The story has “legs”..

Dick Durbin Calls for DOJ Investigation Over CIA Tape Destruction

Actually, the concern in Congress has exploded beyond Durbin

The CIA did not tell Congress about the destruction in 2005 of videotapes recording aggressive CIA interrogations of two al Qaeda suspects until this year, the top two members of the House Intelligence Committee said in an angry letter Friday to CIA Director Michael V. Hayden. Anticipating an [...]