CIA Torture: AG Holder Nominates John Durham As Prosecutor

Latest updates: Attorney General Eric Holder has nominated John H. Durham as special prosecutor in the CIA torture case. The AG decision is in departure of recommendations from President Obama, and it is a sign that the new AG wants the Justice Department to regain its independence from the control of the executive branch, unlike during the Bush-era.

After the release of a CIA torture report today, AG Holder made the announcement that the DOJ will appoint a special prosecutor to investigate if federal laws were violated in connection of detainees in US custody overseas under the Bush administration.

The Attorney General said his decision was in part influenced by the content of a CIA Inspector General report made public today, as part of an ACLU Freedom of Information Act lawsuit.

Anthony Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU, made the following statement:

“While this is a welcome first step, we are disappointed that AG Holder still appears unwilling to conduct a full investigation, and to prosecute any crimes that are uncovered. A preliminary investigation absent of a commitment to prosecute violations of the law is simply anemic. How much evidence of wrong doing & violations of the law is necessary before the AG commits to launching a full investigation? The CIA’s own Inspector General documented in disturbing detail the level of the torture committed, and the extend to which laws were broken. AG Holder’s decision not to launch a full investigation is deeply troubling given the evidence, already in the public domain, of crimes that were committed. Any investigation that truly follows the facts where they lead would inevitably lead to prosecutions of  high level officials, not just rogue agents in the field.”

The CIA’s Inspector General report released today contains new details of serious detainee’s abuse. According to the report, agents committed mock executions of prisoners and threatened to arm, at least one detainee, with a drill if he didn’t cooperate.

ACLU’s Jameel Jaffer says: “The information in the report about the origins & scope of the CIA’s torture program further underscores the need for a comprehensive investigation into the torture of detainees, and those who authorized it.”