DoD blocks release of “torture” photos

The Stars and Stripes and the Associated Press report that the Secretary of Defense has invoked new powers to keep photographs from the Abu Gahraib incident from the public;

The Obama administration filed a brief with the Supreme Court late Friday saying that Gates has invoked new powers blocking the release of the photos.

The American Civil Liberties Union had sued for the release of 21 color photographs showing prisoners in Afghanistan and Iraq being abused by Americans. Federal courts had rejected the government’s arguments to block their release, so Congress gave Gates new powers to keep them private under a law signed by President Barack Obama last month.

Gates’ order specifically cites the 21 pictures sought by the ACLU, plus 23 additional ones cited in a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit. However, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said the order covers all photographs from investigations related to the treatment of individuals captured or detained in military operations outside the United States between Sept. 11, 2001, and Jan. 22, 2009.

Gates’ new powers were included in a budget bill for the Homeland Security Department.

Of course, the ACLU is in a snit;

Jameel Jaffer, director of the ACLU National Security Project, said the group will continue to fight for the release of the photographs, arguing that Gates’ order was overly broad.

“We think the photos are an important part of the historical record. They are critical to the ongoing national conversation about accountability for torture,” Jaffer said. “It sets a bad precedent for the government to be suppressing information that relates to government misconduct.”

Jameel Jaffer heads the ACLU’s Torture Report project which is currently digging through the Bush Administration’s public documents looking for someone to blame for heinous crimes of discomfort perpetrated against some Bronze Age subhumans. Among Jaffer’s staff is Matthew Alexander, the kinder, gentler interrogator – regular readers will learn all about the pseudonymous author of the book “How To Break A Terrorist” tomorrow morning in a TAH exclusive that was months in the writing.

Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Terror War, Usual Suspects