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CIA in Contempt Soon?

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August 19, 2008

Back in December 2007, we learned that the CIA had destroyed videotapes depicting the abusive interrogation of terrorist suspects. After learning of the tape destruction, the ACLU filed a motion asking the court to hold the CIA in contempt of the court’s orders requiring the agency to produce or identify records responsive to the ACLU's FOIA request for information relating to the treatment of prisoners held in U.S. custody overseas.

Yesterday, the judge ordered the CIA to prepare a catalog that identifies everything that it had destroyed, and also a list of all summaries, transcripts, information on witnesses and any relevant documents or memoranda relating to the tape destruction. The ACLU has submitted a proposed order requesting these items for the judge to sign. If the judge accepts our order, the CIA will have 30 days to turn that catalog over us.

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