CIA ‘black site’ detainee used as a prop to teach interrogators torture techniques, US government report says
The ‘black site’ detainee was ‘walled’ by trainees so as to receive certification, the report reveals
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) “black site” detainee was used as a training prop to teach interrogators torture techniques, a newly declassified US government report revealed.
The shocking report stated that Ammar al-Baluchi — a CIA detainee in Afghanistan — was repeatedly slammed against a wall by trainees so they could receive certification.
The report, consisting of several documents, dates back to 2008 and said Mr Baluchi’s head was injured as a result of repeatedly using him as a living prop by slamming him against a plywood wall, leaving him with brain damage.
The documents, that reveal the details of torture faced by the 44-year-old detainee, were newly declassified on 10 March as part of a court filing by his lawyers aimed at getting him an independent medical examination.
Mr Baluchi, a Kuwaiti citizen, is one of the five defendants before a military tribunal on Guantánamo Bay and is charged with participating in the plot over the 9/11 attacks.
According to the report, the CIA used a technique called “walling.”
“The interrogators would grab the ends of the towel in front of and below the detainee’s face and shove [Mr Baluchi] backwards into the wall, never letting go of the towel,” it said.
The aim was to “bounce” Mr Baluchi off the wall. The report also noted that Baluchi was “naked for the proceedings”.
It revealed that “typically a session did not last for more than two hours at a time.”
One former trainer told investigators that all the interrogation students lined up to “wall” Mr Baluchi “so that [the instructor] could certify them on their ability to use the technique.”
“In the case of ‘walling’ in particular the [Office of the Inspector General] had difficulty determining whether the session was designed to elicit information from Ammar or to ensure that all interrogator trainees received their certification,” the report read.
The report concluded that since interrogators lined up to “wall” Mr Baluchi, “certification [of trainees] was key.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments