Obama releases Bush interrogation memos

The United States today released a total of four memos from the CIA interrogation programme which was in place during the Bush administration. The memos were secret up until now.

The methods used have been condemned and have been described by some as no more than torture. Barack Obama also made a statement today which will guarantee that none of the CIA employees will face legal action for the part that they played. It is said that some CIA staff requested that certain parts of the memos be kept from publication because of the fear that with all of the details in the public domain, lawsuits could ensue. The memos were published after a civil rights group, the American Civil Liberties Union asked for them to be released. The majority of memos were dated in May 05. The memos gave legal backing to the methods used and saying that they were acceptable. The last document which was dated August 02 gave permission for tough procedures to be used during the interrogation process. Those methods used could include slapping, depriving suspects of sleep and the use of stress positions. The memos also give permission for one of the most controversial tactics used, waterboarding. which is when the suspect is subjected to a technique which makes them feel as though they are being drowned. President Obama has since banned the use of such methods once he came in to office. The CIA has now been banned from using them. President Obama said; "I believe that exceptional circumstances surround these memos and require their release. "Withholding these memos would only serve to deny facts that have been in the public domain for some time," and commenting on the CIA, President Obama said: "those who carried out their duties relying in good faith upon legal advice from the Department of Justice... will not be subject to prosecution."