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 (68)

This heavily redacted cable provides authorization and authority for Bruce Jessen and James Mitchell to use the full range of level 1 EITs and the level 2 water board. All envelope information is redacted.
Dec. 20, 2016
Non-legal Memo, Cable
Bruce Jessen, James Mitchell
EIT, Use of water, Waterboarding
This is an undated note from Jim Mitchell in which he proposes his ideas for "the broad features of the training program" and offers his and Bruce Jessen's help putting the training together and delivering it or helping to "craft the product". ...
Dec. 20, 2016
Non-legal Memo, Letter
James Mitchell
James Mitchell , Bruce Jessen
This May 28, 2003 email states that going forward Jim Mitchell and Bruce Jessen will be doing much less in the interrogation role and more strategic consulting work, research and program development projects, and more in the psychology role. The ...
Dec. 20, 2016
Email
Bruce Jessen, James Mitchell
Abu Zubaydah
This May 2002 cable asks that James Mitchell's contract, which is set to expire in May 2002 be extended because his participation has been "invaluable" to the interrogation team, particularly with regards to Abu Zubaydah's interrogation.
Dec. 20, 2016
Cable
James Mitchell
Abu Zubaydah
This January 17, 2003 memorandum provides authorization and authority for James Mitchell, Bruce Jessen, and a third interrogator, whose name is redacted, to use the "full range" of enhanced measures, including waterboarding, in addition to their ...
Dec. 20, 2016
Non-legal Memo
James Mitchell , Bruce Jessen
EIT, Waterboarding, Use of water
This June 20, 2003 email describes the role of psychology in the CIA Renditions and Detention Group's HVTI (high value terrorist interrogation) program, specifically the work of Psychologists James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen.
Dec. 20, 2016
Email
Bruce Jessen, James Mitchell
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 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 ...