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 is the Autopsy Report of Muhammad Nahar, a detainee being processed in at the Marine Detention Facility, Baghdad, Iraq when he suffered a medical emergency and died. It is reported that Mr. Nahar was a 71 year old detainee suffering from ...
Jan. 14, 2011
Medical (Autopsy)
Muhammed Numan Nahar
Letter from David N. Kelley, DOJ, to Lawrence S. Lustberg, of Gibbons, Del Deo, Dolan, Griffinger & Vecchione, P.C., attorneys for the ACLU re: the ACLU's FOIA Request. The letter states that the document production requested is being complied ...
Nov. 23, 2004
Letter, Judicial
Sean H. Lane | David N. Kelley | Peter M. Skinner
Lawrence S. Lustberg
David N. Kelley, Sean H. Lane, Peter M. Skinner
The document is an internal FBI memorandum, regarding the mission overview of the FBI-Afghanistan Detachment based on the CTD Afghanistan Assessment Team (AAT) findings. The memorandum also includes information on detainee interviews and support ...
Circumstances of death are described as "died in US custody approximately 72 hours after being apprehended...physical force was required during his initial apprehension during a raid. During his confinement, he was hooded, sleep deprived, and ...
This is the Autopsy Report Autopsy Report: Hussein Farhad Ali, a detainee who was captured by US forces in Mosul, Iraq. It is reported that Mr. Ali died within 72 hours after being taken in to custody. The Report indicates that Mr. Ali suffered ...
A cover letter from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to the Office of the Inspector General enclosing requested materials on detainee issues. The classified materials includes: Critical Incident Response Group Behavioral Analysis Unit Volume ...
Apr. 27, 2009
Letter
Charlene B. Thornton
Carol F. Ochoa

Tribunal determined that the detainee in question has been accurately classified as an enemy combatant and that he was part of or supported Al Qaida against coalition forces. Detainee is a Syrian national who traveled to Afghanistan in 1999 ...

Nov. 30, 2005
CSRT
Abd al Nasir Mohammed Abd al Qadir Khantumani
Other
A cover letter from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to the Office of the Inspector General enclosing requested materials on detainee issues. The classified materials include items from several internal investigation units, which are to be ...
Apr. 27, 2009
Letter
Charlene B. Thornton
Carol F. Ochoa
This series of emails discusses constitutional issues overseas. One email notes that FBI personnel in the Iraq are gathering intelligence for military operations--not independent FBI operations. The same email asks a couple of questions: " If the ...
This is a CID investigation into the death of Hasan Abrahemy, a detainee at the Baghdad Central Confinement Facility (BCCF) Abu Ghraib, Baghdad, Iraq on September 20, 2004. It is reported that Mr. Abrahemy was in Camp Redemption when he was ...
Jan. 14, 2011
Investigative File (CID), Notes, Photograph, Medical (Autopsy, Death Certificate), Interview (Statement, Summaries/Notes)
Hasan Abrahemy
Physical assault
The document is an internal FBI email, regarding constitutional issues overseas - specifically the application of the 4th and 5th Amendments to military detainees.
June 15, 2011
Email
Valerie E. Caproni

An investigation into allegations by an Iraqi detinee that interrogators hand- and leg-cuffed him to the floor and pushed him over while blindfolded, causing severe pain and nerve bruising in his wrist. the investigation concluded that there ...

Jan. 31, 2005
Investigative File (CID)
Jacqueline J. Scott, John Peterson
Physical assault, General, Stress positions, Isolation, Environmental manipulation, Hooding/Goggling
State Department presentation delivered by Adam Roberts, Professor of International Relations at Oxford University and Fellow of Balliol College, entitled "Counter-terrorism, Armed Force and the Laws of War."
Dec. 30, 2004
Non-legal Memo
Adam Roberts
Cover letter from Carol F. Ochoa, Office of Oversight & Review, to Charlene B. Thornton Office concerning release of 304 documents pertaining to Guantanamo; 19 documents pertaining to Abu Ghraib; and one CD containing photos, and specifying ...
Apr. 27, 2009
Letter, Judicial
Charlene B. Thornton
Carol F. Ochoa
Carol F. Ochoa, Charlene B. Thornton
A cover letter from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Justice providing requested material on detainee issues. The classified materials include: 304 documents pertaining GTMO, 19 ...
Apr. 27, 2009
Letter
Charlene B. Thornton
Carol F. Ochoa
The document is a memorandum sent to Valerie Caproni that includes several attachments related to extraterritorial Miranda rights warnings.
June 15, 2011
Non-legal Memo
Valerie E. Caproni
Valerie E. Caproni
This document is a series of emails relating a possible extradition treaty between the US and Iraq and the rules surrounding Miranda rights.
June 15, 2011
Email
Julie F. Thomas
This document is an email in which two FBI officials discuss advice given on reading Miranda warnings to detainees overseas. Most of the document is redacted.
Oct. 30, 2009
Email
[Redacted] (OGC) (FBI)
Julie F. Thomas
Julie F. Thomas
This CID investigation reviewed allegations of multiple occurrences of detainee abuse committed by a single soldier while stationed in Afghanistan. The investigation found that the soldier was investigated at the Command level and an AR 15-6 was ...
This State Department document is a talking points memo addressing the Guantanamo detainees and their treatment. It states: The United States has detained al-Qaida, Taliban, and other enemy combatants who pose a threat to the U.S. and our allies; ...
State Department memo addressing the release of January 2002 photographs of unidentified Guantanamo detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The memo states that although there was criticism of the release of the photo(s) the release was not a ...
The document is an internal FBI memorandum, regarding the results of interviews of FBI Special Agents conducted by representatives of the United States Army Criminal Investigation command.

This document is a sworn statement by a physician who examined a detainee who claimed to have been abused. The doctor concluded that the detainees injuries were consistent with his complaint of being abused.

Tribunal determined that the detainee in question has been accurately classified as an enemy combatant and that he fought against coalition forces with the Taliban or Al Qaida. Tribunal also found that the detainee supported Al Qaida training ...

Nov. 30, 2005
CSRT
Moazzam Begg
Other
Investigation into allegations of larceny, looting, failure to obey a general order, accessory after the fact and conspiracy. Case involves ten soldiers who allegedly stole $4,000 and 700,000 Iraqi dinars during a combat cordon and search of an ...
Email by FBI Special Agent Jon E. Bibnik responds to an Inspection Division request about possible observance of "aggressive treatment, interrogations or interview techniques on GTMO detainees." Bibnik responds affirmatively and recounts an ...
Apr. 27, 2009
Email, Interview (Statement), Other
Jon E. Bibnik SA FBI
Inspection Division. Office of Inspections
Detainees brought Fawaz Badaa Najem's body to gate at Abu Ghraib during the night after hearing him gasping. He had been otherwise well and had no medical history. The investigation established probable cause to believe that detainee Najem died ...
Mar. 02, 2005
Investigative File (CID)
Fawaz Badaa Najem
Other
Report of investigation into the deaths of Fras Moazahim Habib and Husham Nafit Ghafar, two detainees who died in US custody at Abu Ghraib, during the course of a prison riot in Ganci 3. Habib died of a gunshot wound to the chest and Ghafar died ...
Mar. 02, 2005
Investigative File (CID), Photograph
Fras Moazahim Habib, Husham Nafit Ghafar
Physical assault, General
A Detainee at Guantanamo reported that his fellow detainees beat him and threw urine upon him. This memo is an acknowledgment of the receipt of that complaint. This is related to ACLU RDI 616.
Nov. 30, 2005
Non-legal Memo
Physical assault, General, Other Humiliation
This is a letter from U.S. representative in the UK as the Director of United Kingdom, Benelux, and Ireland Affairs to Ms. Helen Clark, MP, UK House of Commons thanking her for her recent letter and concerns over the detainment and treatment of ...
Dec. 02, 2004
Letter
Alexander Karagiannis
Helen Clark
Alexander Karagiannis
The document is an internal FBI email, regarding the fulfillment of an Office of Inspector General request for documents related to Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghuraib Prison.
June 15, 2011
Email
J. Stephen Tidwell, Warren T. Bamford
Report of incident in which a detainee claimed that other detainees are beating and threatening to kill him for being a spy.
Nov. 30, 2005
Non-legal Memo
Threat, Assault/death
The document is an internal FBI email, regarding an update on Guantanamo legal processes and the authorization to continue detainee interrogation under Article 17 of the Geneva Convention of the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
June 15, 2011
Email
Frankie Battle, Julie F. Thomas
This DIA PowerPoint presentation details the DIA’s interaction with Iraqi prisoners and other detainees. The issue of contract interrogators; events at Camp Cropper; and Abu Ghraib are covered.
Report on an informal investigation conducted by Brigadier General Richard P. Formica into specific allegations of detainee abuse within CJSOTF-AP [Combined Joint Special Operating Task Force – Arabian Peninsula] and 5th SF [Special Forces] Group ...
This document is part of an AR 15-6 investigative file with a chronology of the progress and steps taken to investigate abuses at the Abu Ghraib detention Facility.
June 30, 2006
Non-legal Memo, Investigative File (AR 15-6)
Richard P. Formica
List of legal references for Formica Report. Heavily redacted. Under a section headed "Interrogation," states, "US policy expressly prohibits as a means of or aid to interrogation: Acts of violence or intimidation, including physical or mental ...
An email exchange between two FBI officials regarding Army interviews of FBI agents who may be witnesses to a prisoner's allegations of abuse.
Apr. 27, 2009
Email
Toni M. Fogle
An email between two FBI officials regarding the scheduling of an interview with the Army.
This is an email to Valerie Caproni from a redacted agent discussing FBI conduct in Iraq. It states that Caproni's email regarding advice to FBI agents in Iraq is timely because agents have been complaining about the advice they received from CTS.
Dec. 07, 2010
Email
Valerie E. Caproni
Email between Joint Task Force 7 with attached spreadsheet. The email states "[This reflects the information we gathered from all subordinate elements on whether or not they maintained a temporary detention facility or an interrogation facility ...
Sworn statement of an Iraqi civilian mentions a female detainee and her two (2) brothers as supporting Anti-coalition activities, but states that they "were never threatened, beaten, or abused." Also refers to an Iraqi Policeman.

Tribunal determined that the detainee in question has been accurately classified as an enemy combatant and that he was responsible for rocket attacks against the United States forces from the Laywan Mountain. Detainee denied being a member of ...

Nov. 30, 2005
CSRT
Habib Rahman
Physical assault, General, Threat, Use of phobias, Nudity
Lists cases and investigations in spreadsheet format. Cases are listed by: Case ID, agency investigating, type, unit/place, date of occurrence, date of report, report by, closed or open, status [redacted], note.
Lists cases and investigations in spreadsheet format. Cases listed by: Case ID, agency investigating, type, unit/place, date of occurrence, date of report, report by, closed or open, status, etc.
An email, including forwarded emails, regarding the legality of another agency requesting to interview FBI personnel. The author of one of the forwarded emails states that whenever this type of request is made, both the agent and FBI are to be ...
Apr. 27, 2009
Email
Toni M. Fogle
Toni M. Fogle
An email about scheduling for an interview with the Army.
Investigation based on civilian contractor's allegation that he witnessed U.S. Marines abusing Iraqi detainees. In a sworn statement the contractor says he saw Marines place bags over an Iraqi prisoners' heads and strike him in the head with a ...
Nov. 30, 2005
Investigative File (CID)
Physical assault, Attention grasp, General, Threat, Assault/death, Environmental manipulation, Hooding/Goggling
FBI Letter from T. J. Harrington to the Dept. of Defense concerning suspected mistreatment of detainees. The letter notifies DOD of three separate incidents of "highly aggressive interrogation techniques being used against detainees in ...
This document is a letter from the US Army trial counsel responsible for prosecuting Specialist [redacted] and Sergeant [redacted] "in connection with detainee abuse at the Baghdad Central Confinement Facility." The letter mentions a New York ...