All Headline News : Bush Admits CIA Held Terrorism Suspects Outside U.S.

Bush Admits CIA Held Terrorism Suspects Outside U.S.

Julie Farby | All Headline News Staff Writer | September 6, 2006

Washington, DC (AHN)-For the first time on Wednesday, President George W. Bush acknowledged that some foreign terrorism suspects have been held by the CIA outside the United States.

However, Bush defended a CIA program to interrogate top terrorism suspects, saying, "Our security depends on getting this kind of information."

Bush also said the U.S. has moved 14 key terrorism suspects held in secret CIA prisons to military control, while the Pentagon banned a series of what it called abusive interrogation tactics for all detainees.

The 14 suspects were transferred to Pentagon control for prosecution at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where the military already holds roughly 445 prisoners.

Until now, the U.S. government has not officially acknowledged the existence of the CIA prisons, which sparked international criticism of the Bush administration.

The Pentagon also unveiled a new directive that said all detainees of the U.S. military will be ensured humane treatment, but some such as al Qaeda members would have fewer protections than traditional prisoners of war.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon unveiled long-awaited changes to the 1992 Army Field Manual governing the interrogation of prisoners held by the U.S. military.

Lt. Gen. John Kimmons, Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, tells Reuters that the Army Field Manual explicitly prohibits torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, and mentions eight specific prohibitions.

According to the report, interrogators may not force a detainee to be naked, perform sexual acts or pose in a sexual manner, and cannot place hoods or sacks over a detainee's head or use duct tape over his eyes. They cannot beat or electrically shock or burn a detainee or inflict other forms of physical pain.

Furthermore, they may not use treatment that would lead to heat injury or deprive detainees of the necessary food, water and medical care. And they may not use dogs in any aspect of interrogations.