After September 11, 2001, U.S. officials authorized the cruel treatment and torture of prisoners held in Afghanistan, Iraq, Guantanamo, and the CIA's secret prisons overseas.

This database documents the U.S. government's official experiment with torture. At present, the database contains well over 100,000 pages of government documents obtained primarily through Freedom of Information Act litigation and requests filed by the ACLU, and through litigation of Salim v. Mitchell, a lawsuit brought by the ACLU on behalf of the survivors and the family of a dead victim of the CIA torture program. To learn more about the database, please read the About and Search Help pages. If you're a developer, you can also access this data through our API.

Search Result (6709)

This January 8, 2003 cable sets forth observations that were derived from the process leading up to the establishment of [redacted], activities undertaken at the base, including the interrogation process, and ramifications for conduct that is ...
This February 1, 2003 memo from James Mitchell sets forth his relevant experience and qualifications for providing "psychological consultation to interrogation programs".
Dec. 20, 2016
Non-legal Memo
James Mitchell
James Mitchell
This cable describes the enhanced interrogation techniques that interrogation teams can employ, pending approval and sets forth federal law which limits the use of these techniques by U.S. government personnel and requires that interrogation ...
This memo describes the CIA's rendition, detention, and interrogation program, including the legal authorities under which the program operates and the safeguards and controls that have been undertaken to prevent deviation, improvisation, abuse ...
This memo discusses the importance of the High Value Terrorist Detainee Program in preventing future terrorist attacks, specifically the information that has been gleaned from terrorist detainees.
Dec. 20, 2016
Non-legal Memo
Abu Zubaydah, Ramzi Bin al Shibh
This 2002 cable requests that IC Psychologist James Mitchell remain at the undisclosed location in order to provide continued assistance in the Abu Zubaydah interrogation. The cable states that Mitchell's role is "key" and they need him there to ...
Dec. 20, 2016
Cable
CTC/UBL
James Mitchell
Abu Zubaydah
SERE, Use of water, Waterboarding
This email discusses the sending and drafting of a cable requesting that Psychologist James Mitchell stay at the undisclosed location. This email asks that the cable not be sent until it is determined whether enhanced measures will need to be taken.
Dec. 20, 2016
Email
James Mitchell
Abu Zubaydah
EIT
This email chain includes two cables discussing the status of Abu Zubaydah's interrogation and describing his condition. The first cable is dated August 2, 2002 and describes Abu Zubaydah's condition on day 45 of the isolation phase. It also ...
This June 16, 2002 cable asks that 1) psychological supervision of Abu Zubaydah be provided while the IC SERE psychologist is away and 2) that the group come to agreement on implementing the period of isolation of Abu Zubaydah, using verifiable ...
Dec. 20, 2016
Cable
ALEC
Abu Zubaydah
Isolation