The CIA ‘does not do torture’

THE CIA uses “unique and innovative ways” to obtain vital information from prisoners but strictly obeys laws against torture, CIA director Porter Goss said.

He defended the organisation against allegations of torture, claiming there was a “huge amount of misinformation” swirling about on the subject of detainees.

“This agency does not do torture. Torture does not work,” he told USA Today.

“We use lawful capabilities to collect vital information, and we do it in a variety of unique and innovative ways, all of which are legal and none of which are torture.”

Republican Senator John McCain has proposed laws that would restrict interrogation techniques to ban “cruel, inhuman or degrading” treatment of detainees. The White House has threatened to veto any bill that includes the measure and Vice President Dick Cheney has tried to exempt the CIA from such laws.

Mr Goss said the CIA remained officially neutral on the proposal but the newspaper said he “made clear” techniques that would be restricted under the proposal have yielded results.

He declined to describe interrogation methods exclusive to the CIA.

Mr Goss also refused to discuss reports alleging that the CIA maintains secret detention centres at military bases in central Europe.

He said media leaks about allies helping the CIA in capturing and interrogating detainees may provoke reprisal terrorist attacks.