U.S. Prepares for Security Risks ahead of CIA Torture Report
- By Matt Holden
- Dec 09, 2014
According to a report, multiple U.S. agencies, such as American embassies and military units, are preparing for possible security threats related to the release of a report on the CIA’s harsh interrogation techniques at secret overseas facilities after the 9/11 terror attacks.
The report from the Senate Intelligence Committee will be the first public accounting of the CIA’s use of torture on al-Qaida detainees in Europe and Asia. The committee was expected to release a 480-page summary of the 6,000-plus-page report.
"There are some indications that the release of the report could lead to a greater risk that is posed to U.S. facilities and individuals all around the world," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday. "The administration has taken the prudent steps to ensure that the proper security precautions are in place at U.S. facilities around the globe."
Army Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, said "there is certainly the possibility that the release of this report could cause unrest" and therefore combatant commands have been directed to take protective measures.
While the White House has said it welcomes the release of the summary, officials say they do have concerns about potential security threats that could follow.
On Friday, Secretary of State John Kerry asked the committee's chairwoman, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., to "consider" the timing of the release. White House officials said Obama had been aware that Kerry planned to raise the issue with Feinstein, but they insisted the president continued to support the report's release.
About the Author
Matt Holden is an Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media, Inc. He received his MFA and BA in journalism from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. He currently writes and edits for Occupational Health & Safety magazine, and Security Today.