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Rediff.com  » News » Obama appoints prosecutor to probe prison abuses

Obama appoints prosecutor to probe prison abuses

By Lalit K Jha in Washington
August 25, 2009 11:47 IST
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The Barack Obama administration has announced the appointment of a prosecutor to investigate prison abuse cases that were carried out as part of the torture programme during the eight years of the George W Bush era.

The announcement in this regard was made by Attorney General Eric H Holder soon after the Justice Department released a long-secret report on Central Intelligence Agency's interrogation techniques during the Bush administration's tenure, post-9/11.

Holder appointed John H Durham as the prosecutor to investigate and determine whether a full criminal investigation of the conduct of agency employees or contractors was warranted. "I have concluded that the information known to me warrants opening a preliminary review into whether federal laws were violated in connection with the interrogation of specific detainees at overseas locations," Holder said.

"The department regularly uses preliminary reviews to gather information to determine whether there is sufficient predication to warrant a full investigation of a matter. I want to emphasise that neither the opening of a preliminary review nor, if evidence warrants it, the commencement of a full investigation, means that charges will necessarily follow," he said.

Obama, who is currently on vacation, welcomed the announcement, the White House said in a statement. "The President has said repeatedly that he wants to look forward, not back, and the President agrees with the attorney general that those who acted in good faith and within the scope of legal guidance should not be prosecuted," it said.

"Ultimately, determinations about whether someone broke the law are made independently by the attorney general," the statement said.

"I share the President's conviction that as a nation, we must, to the extent possible, look forward and not backward when it comes to issues such as these. While this Department will follow its obligation to take this preliminary step to examine possible violations of law, we will not allow our important work of keeping the American people safe to be sidetracked," Holder said.

"As the President has said repeatedly, he thinks that we should be looking forward, not backward," White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton told reporters in response to a question.

"He does agree with the Attorney General that anyone who conducted actions that had been sanctioned should not be prosecuted. But ultimately, the decisions on who is investigated and who is prosecuted are up to the attorney general," Burton said.

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Lalit K Jha in Washington
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