CIA Says It Gave Probers What They Asked For

Tapes?  Oh, those tapes!  CIA officials are justifying their failure to hand over videotapes of “severe interrogation” methods by saying they were not specifically asked for them.  The officials were reacting to criticism by former 9/11 Commission members.

The New York Times:

In interviews this week, the two chairmen of the commission, Lee H. Hamilton and Thomas H. Kean, said their reading of the report had convinced them that the agency had made a conscious decision to impede the Sept. 11 commission’s inquiry.

Mr. Kean said the panel would provide the memorandum to the federal prosecutors and congressional investigators who are trying to determine whether the destruction of the tapes or withholding them from the courts and the commission was improper.

A C.I.A. spokesman said that the agency had been prepared to give the Sept. 11 commission the interrogation videotapes, but that commission staff members never specifically asked for interrogation videos.

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AP photo / Haraz N. Ganbari

9/11 Commission Co-Chairman Thomas Kean briefs reporters in December 2005.