Obama urged to reinvestigate CIA prisoner abuse cases

US Justice Department officials have urged President Barack Obama to reinvestigate CIA prisoner abuse cases, raising the prospect of a damaging political sideshow, as Obama seeks to focus on healthcare and climate change.

The department’s ethics watchdog has recommended considering prosecuting CIA employees or contractors for harsh interrogations in Iraq and Afghanistan that went beyond approved limits, a government official said.

The development came as the Justice Department prepares to release a long-awaited CIA inspector general report that will offer new details of prisoner abuse, such as coercing suspects to confess after threats of bodily harm.