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)

RelevanceDateRelease Date
The document is an internal FBI email, regarding requests made by the NCIS for documents related to two specific detainees as well as information related to allegations of abuse.
June 15, 2011
Email
Valerie E. Caproni
The document is an information sheet that lists pages deleted from this FOIA release (FBI pages given to OIG).
The document is an internal FBI email, regarding the procedure for the investigation of allegations of FBI abuse and mistreatment made by detainees.
June 15, 2011
Email
Valerie E. Caproni, Jay W. Hood, Thomas J. Harrington, Gary M. Bald
The document is an internal FBI email, regarding the revision and finalization of the text of a Question for the Record (QFR) submitted to Congress about the FBI's treatment of detainees.
June 15, 2011
Email
Valerie E. Caproni, Eleni P. Kalisch
An email in reply to a received "'positive' response." The response reports that the FBI agent observed aggressive treatment of a detainee who appeared to have blood shot eyes and what appeared to be blood that congealed to his eyelashes.
The document is an internal FBI email, regarding the provision of copies of written reports that note FBI disagreements or objections to the handling of detainees by any American entities in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Guantanamo Bay.
June 15, 2011
Email
Valerie E. Caproni, Thomas J. Harrington, Eleni P. Kalisch
A DOJ FBI Internal Routing/Action Slip forwarded to the Office of Professional Responsibility.
The document is an internal FBI email, regarding the imminent release of a letter written by Thomas Harrington on the treatment of Guantanamo Bay detainees.
June 15, 2011
Email
Thomas J. Harrington, Valerie E. Caproni, Marion E. Bowman
An email regarding allegations of misconduct against two FBI agents. During an interview with one of the agents, they stated that there were, "inhumane conditions at the Baghdad detention facility... Although I only personally observed this abuse ...
Oct. 30, 2009
Email
Toni M. Fogle
Charlene B. Thornton
Toni M. Fogle, Charlene B. Thornton
Heavy redacted series of emails regarding the FBI's stance on interrogation techniques. One official frames it as a "public perception issue."
The document is an FBI cover sheet for the release of interview reports from New York pertaining to detainee ISN 661. The reports are for the Department of Defense, Criminal Investigation Task Force.
Jan. 15, 2010
Other
Mamdouh Ibrahim Ahmed Habib
The document is a series of internal FBI emails, regarding the JTF GTMO and SOUTHCOM requests for unredacted copies of documents released to the ACLU.
Series of emails dealing with responses to QFRs (Questions for the Record) following the Director of the FBI's testimony before the Senate Judiciary on 05/20/2004.
A considerably redacted email about agents in Afghanistan and Iraq and further advice on interrogations.
Oct. 30, 2009
Email
Valerie E. Caproni, Marion E. Bowman
The document includes information about a document request made by the Department of Justice's Office of Inspector General regarding detainee issues, specifically any documents related to the disagreements concerning interrogation plans and ...
A considerably redacted email regarding whether or not the FBI should proceed with the interview of the detainee.
Oct. 30, 2009
Email
John S. Pistole, Valerie E. Caproni, Marion E. Bowman
The document is an internal FBI email, regarding the use of extreme and abusive interrogation techniques against detainees by the military as well as the procedures for reporting such techniques to the Department of Defense.
Email
Valerie E. Caproni
Mohammed al Qahtani
A letter from the House of Representatives to President George W. Bush informing him of their determination to investigate the prison abuses at Abu Gharib and elsewhere and to request his assistance in obtaining key documents. The letter includes ...
Oct. 30, 2009
Letter
Henry A. Waxman
George W. Bush
Henry A. Waxman, John Conyers, Jr.
The document is an internal FBI email, regarding the legality or propriety of interview techniques being used at Guantanamo Bay.
The document is an internal FBI email, regarding the legality or propriety of the DHS interrogation plans being designed and implemented for detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
The document is an internal FBI email, regarding the referral of a Guantanamo issue to Deputy General Counsel Marion Bowman and his opinion that the issue is not an Intelligence Oversight Board matter.
Jan. 15, 2010
Email
Marion E. Bowman
The document is an internal FBI email, regarding the procedure by which to report complaints about Guantanamo Bay to the Intelligence Oversight Board. The email is redacted.
Jan. 15, 2010
Email
Marion E. Bowman
An email that provides guidance on forwarding requests for interviews of FBI Special Agents regarding allegations of detainee abuse or deaths.
Oct. 30, 2009
Email
Patrick W. Kelley, Toni M. Fogle, Thomas J. Harrington, Frankie Battle
The document is an internal FBI email, regarding an attachment about Guantanamo Bay and the procedure by which to report the contents of the attachment.
Jan. 15, 2010
Email
Marion E. Bowman
The document is an internal FBI email sent to FBI Director Robert Mueller, regarding the status of Iraqi fingerprinting efforts as well as the results of such efforts.
Jan. 15, 2010
Email
Robert S. Mueller
Robert S. Mueller, Bruce J. Gebhardt, John S. Pistole
A series of emails regarding whether hard copies of the FBI Legal Handbook have been issued to agents in the past years, or whether only digital issues have been issued. The emails also note that testimony before Congress should stress that ...
Oct. 30, 2009
Email
Valerie E. Caproni, Patrick W. Kelley, Maureen Baginski
The document is an internal FBI memorandum from the FBI General Counsel, regarding legal advice and opinions about the treatment of prisoners and detainees by FBI personnel. The memorandum is almost entirely redacted, but includes information on ...
Jan. 15, 2010
Legal Memo
Gary M. Bald, Valerie E. Caproni
A title page for the Office of Inspector General's Review of Detainee Issues.
The document is an internal FBI detainee interrogation report. The report is almost entirely redacted, but pertains to the interrogation of Detainee ISN 00269 at Guantanamo Bay by agents from the FBI and NCIS.
Jan. 15, 2010
Interview (Summaries/Notes)
Mohammed El Gharani
The document is an internal FBI detainee interrogation report. The report is almost entirely redacted, but pertains to the interrogation of Detainee 00269DP at Guantanamo Bay.
FBI deleted page information sheet indicating that twenty-one pages have been deleted.
A series of forwarded emails between FBI officials regarding the status of statements for a hearing. One email notes, "We do NOT do Miranda overseas generally--this is contrary to our policy right?"
Oct. 30, 2009
Email
Valerie E. Caproni, Gary M. Bald
The document is an internal FBI email sent from Valerie Caproni to FBI Director Robert Mueller, regarding the definition of the abuse and/or mistreatment of prisoners as well as what type of conduct should and should not be reported.
Email
Valerie E. Caproni
Robert S. Mueller
Valerie E. Caproni, Robert S. Mueller
A chain of six emails regarding a military defense investigator's request to the FBI's Counterterrorism Division for FBI emails about detainee abuse. The investigator had been appointed to work on the defense team for one of the Abu Gharib prison ...
Oct. 30, 2009
Email
Julie F. Thomas
The document is an internal FBI email sent to FBI Director Robert Mueller, including a brief synopsis of an AG briefing that covered the issues of MEK interviews and the impact of potential press on ongoing operations.
Jan. 15, 2010
Email
Robert S. Mueller
Robert S. Mueller, John S. Pistole, Gary M. Bald, Arthur M. Cummings, II
The document is an internal FBI email sent to FBI Director Robert Mueller, regarding possible topics for an AG meeting with a redacted entity, including prisoner abuse cases and legal advice about the treatment of detainees.
Jan. 15, 2010
Email
Robert S. Mueller
Robert S. Mueller
The document is a cover sheet from the Defense Intelligence Agency, but all other information has been redacted.
An email between two FBI officials where one asks the other for advice regarding accusations of prisoner abuse being made against two of their agents in Baghdad. The military is asking for access to documents that indicate the two agents ...
Apr. 27, 2009
Email
Thomas J. Harrington
The document is an internal FBI email sent from Eleni Kalisch to FBI Director Robert Mueller, regarding an HPSCI briefing concerning detainee interrogations. The briefing included information about the yield of information from detainee ...
The document is an internal FBI email, regarding an attached urgent report that provides details from a military service member deployed in Iraq who observed serious physical abuses of civilian detainees in Samara, Iraq in the fall of 2003.
A transcript of an interview with an FBI Special Agent who was part of an interviewing team at Guantanamo Bay. The transcript first notes that interviews in the evening were conducted by those who were gathering intelligence; the purpose of the ...
Oct. 30, 2009
Interview (Transcript)
Physical assault, Other Humiliation, Sexual, Religious
The document is an internal FBI email, regarding an update on two prisoner abuse cases that are pending.
Jan. 15, 2010
Email
Robert S. Mueller, Bruce J. Gebhardt, Valerie E. Caproni, Robert A. Spencer
The document is an internal FBI memorandum from the Records Management Division, regarding the search and collection of all systems for information concerning any and all foreign detainees in U.S. custody held outside the United States from ...
The document is an internal FBI email, regarding a Monday, December 13, 2004 DCI briefing. The email includes a brief synopsis of the information presented at that meeting, including updates from Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Spain.
The document is an FBI memorandum that has been heavily redacted. The memorandum includes information about the Department of Defense Joint Task Forces, the Joint Interagency Interrogation Facility (JIIF), and five issues for consideration - ...
An email by FBI Agent containing a positive response to observing aggressive treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay. The email notes that the agent saw, "at least two individuals dressed in BDU's standing and an inmate kneeling on the floor ...
Oct. 30, 2009
Email
Physical assault, Other Humiliation, Sexual
The document is a transcript of proceedings from the United States Senate's Committee on the Judiciary. The transcript is a record of FBI Director Robert Mueller's statement regarding FBI oversight, terrorism and other topics.
Transcript of interview with FBI Special Agent who previously worked as a Case Agent tasked to participate in detainee interviews at Guantanamo Bay. The Agent purportedly never participated in any aggressive treatment, interrogations or interview ...
Oct. 30, 2009
Interview (Transcript)
Stress positions
The document is an information sheet that lists pages deleted from this FOIA release (FBI pages given to OIG).
Transcript of interview with an FBI Investigative Analyst (IA) who formerly worked as a liaison between the FBI and the U.S. military during their temporary duty assignment at Guantanamo Bay. The IA was not a member of any interview or ...
Oct. 30, 2009
Interview (Transcript)
Other Humiliation, Sexual