Alert at U.S. Embassies Ahead of Senate Committee Report Release

In anticipation of the release of a report on the harsh interrogation methods implemented by the CIA after the September 11 attacks, U.S. bases and embassies around the world are preparing for potential security threats related to the report's publication. According to the Associated Press, this 480-page report is set to be released on Tuesday, December 9, by the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee. The report references 100 instances of treatment of terrorism suspects detained by U.S. forces from 2001 to 2009. Reuters reports that one example mentioned in the report involves Abdul Rahman Nashiri, accused of attacking the U.S. Navy ship Cole in 2000, who was threatened during interrogation with a 'drill bit.' According to the report, this device was used solely for intimidation and no physical torture was inflicted with it. The report also indicates that at least one other detainee was subjected to sexual threats. The White House, CIA, and U.S. Department of Justice have allowed U.S. forces to use some harsh interrogation methods, but according to Reuters, the instances cited in the report exceeded permissible limits. These detentions and interrogations were implemented after the September 11 attacks by then-President George W. Bush, who ended parts of the program at the conclusion of his presidency. His successor, Barack Obama, also banned the so-called 'enhanced interrogation techniques.' According to reports, the Senate Intelligence Committee's report states that these harsh interrogation techniques did not change the outcomes of the interrogations and that 'the same amount of information would have been obtained' using standard interrogation methods. This part of the report is controversial, and many intelligence and counter-terrorism officials disagree with this conclusion. Furthermore, reports indicate that U.S. officials believe the release of details regarding these interrogations may incite unrest, prompting them to take certain precautions, including enhancing security at embassies, military bases, and other U.S. facilities worldwide. Last November, the U.S. government stated that it has never been indifferent to the issue of torture but admitted to the UN Committee Against Torture that it 'went beyond the limits' after the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Earlier, in August, President Obama had stated that the U.S. tortured some al-Qaeda detainees after the September 11 events.