White House Defends CIA Actions
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
WASHINGTON — The White House yesterday defended the use of the interrogation technique known as waterboarding, saying it is legal — not torture as critics argue — and has saved American lives. President Bush could authorize waterboarding for future terrorism suspects if certain criteria are met, a spokesman said.
A day earlier, the Bush administration acknowledged publicly for the first time that the tactic was used by American government questioners on three terror suspects. Testifying before Congress, CIA director, Michael Hayden, said Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Abu Zubayda, and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri were waterboarded in 2002 and 2003. Mr. Bush personally authorized Mr. Hayden’s testimony, White House deputy spokesman, Tony Fratto, said.
