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Rodriguez: We were very concerned of second wave of attacks

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    Former CIA official speaks out

  • Duration 9:13
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-- one year after the raid that killed Osama bin Laden and a former high ranking CIA official is speaking out and arguing that the harsh interrogation techniques.

That were employed by the Bush Administration played a larger role in providing the intelligence road map.

That eventually led to the terrorist compound.

Jose Rodriguez junior spent 31 years in the CIA's clandestine service.

-- Now after the 9/11 attacks he led the agency's Counterterrorism Center.

The dollar million.

-- -- -- -- And we focus in the new book part measures Rodriguez defends the enhanced interrogation techniques.

Like waterboarding was used after 9/11 on some of Al qaeda's top leadership the poster boy for enhanced interrogation techniques was al-Qaeda operative.

Abu zubaydah was captured in Pakistan.

After a shoot out zubaydah was questioned using these procedures consider any began providing information on T al-Qaeda or use -- identified Ramzi bin Al -- yeah.

The information zubaydah provided helped lead to -- capture of Binalshibh and together these two terrorists provided information.

That captures Khalid Sheikh Mohamed Khalid -- Mohammed.

Was the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks.

Three of these terror leaders wherever water -- a technique seen here in the demonstration.

But Rodriguez says he interrogations lead to the interruption of at least.

And the large scale -- Capture of many more terrorists hottest thing can differ as to whether or not they're comfortable with some of the techniques that we use -- -- that's -- fair debate.

But you don't get to say that the techniques didn't.

But some kids say that it didn't work including then speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi.

Who claimed not to know that it was happening at all you're accusing the CIA -- a lot of.

Humans have ever without excluding reconnaissance in and say hey -- all -- -- that congress and.

Yet Rodriguez himself but a delegation to Capitol Hill to brief congressional leaders including Pelosi the only mention of waterboarding at that -- What's that it was not.

Game.

And she seemed to backtrack when documents show that her aide Michael Sheehy had been briefed specifically about waterboarding.

He informed me that everything has taken place he.

Tell you that -- he was informed and were you actually using -- No he -- -- he said that these.

Techniques announcing news.

Controversy erupted again in 2007.

When it was revealed that Rodriguez ordered the destruction of videotapes that showed Abu -- is water -- Because that's that presents learning about this -- he has no recollection of being made aware.

-- the tapes or their destruction before yesterday today -- Calling for an official investigation.

Of whether there was destruction of evidence -- obstruction of justice.

In the destruction of these videotapes and he pushed Justice Department had written extensive memos detailing what was allowed under the enhanced interrogations and why it was legal.

However lawsuit by the ACLU those memos were released by the Obama administration.

-- -- -- -- -- Reflected in my -- Us losing our moral there Rodriguez in the CIA were eventually cleared of wrongdoing and the investigation horrendous.

Man deserves a pretty.

-- they don't deserve to be prosecuted.

Joining us now as a man of the center this controversy Jose Rodriguez junior former CIA.

The director of the CIA's national clandestine service and the author of hard measures how aggressive CIA actions after 9/11 saved American lives.

-- great to see it's a great honor to -- you -- thank you for being with us thank you for inviting me -- I'm a big fan boy -- appreciate -- read the book cover to cover I'm -- -- that we can't get the soul and I'm trying get in as much and again let's start with the tape that we just set up.

You personally -- Nancy Pelosi he did.

About enhanced interrogation.

We briefed her on before September.

2002.

About the interrogation of Abu zubaydah so we went through -- Techniques that -- used on him including waterboarding and she what she said to the American people at the time she -- She she is either confused or design a -- But let's go to the mindset.

And you you went into great specificity and detail.

You thought that we were -- flooded with the intelligence of an imminent attack.

Anthrax potential nuclear explain the mindset after 9/11.

Yes he.

-- we were.

Very concerned about a second wave of attacks.

In me.

2002.

We had a flood of intelligence coming in.

About threats.

We -- at the al-Qaeda the anthrax.

Scare off a few months before.

We were very concerned.

That would get him get hit again we had come from the intelligence on anthrax we we who bought the al-Qaeda nuclear program.

And we we could hear this time -- we couldn't see it but we think he would ticking yes.

And so you felt another attack on this country was imminent.

And you needed as quickly as possible the intelligence.

Just to save American lives correct.

And we had captured Abu zubaydah.

A few months earlier and Abu zubaydah was the highest levels of kind of terrorists that we don't captured and he and he told -- a -- He was severely wounded by the Pakistani -- morning was being captured.

So he was near death and we actually brought in the best surgeons that we could find.

And save his life and and then the this is where enhanced interrogations 11 thing that's -- watch the segment on sixty minutes last night and he said.

We are the dark side this and I took a little issue with that even though maybe you refer to that meeting.

You are on the front lines of extracting information.

Under the circumstances post 9/11 to save lives why they call -- the dark side well.

We are in the shadows and -- we do what nobody else in the US government -- I mean the FBI does it sting out of the military does its thing we get this extraordinary.

Authorities to move beyond.

And we have very special authorities to do Covert action for example so we operate in the shadows and that's what I meant by -- right.

-- put everything you did including waterboarding.

Sleep deprivation.

Food deprivation.

What -- you walk us through what did you do this Abu zubaydah and then Khalid Sheikh -- tell us what you did this.

Well there are ten techniques -- were.

Approved by -- In August of 2002.

And I say in the book could die -- measures that actually a pretty -- if you if you really.

If the American people.

Actually -- what these techniques where they would see black and talking about because for example the first one -- the attention grass.

You grab somebody bring him closely you can look him straight in the -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Don't insult me and sold -- -- the we.

-- audits it's a slap you know it's it's it's not torture and it's -- open hand so as not to -- of but.

It's it's you know people take offense that -- -- -- -- gets their attention they're naked.

They are in most cases are naked yes -- -- vulnerable sleep deprivation.

There is some information yes food deprivation.

There is -- Reductions and take you know two years.

For manipulation but right what else.

There is the facial holds can grab -- by the face -- an end.

Make them look at you.

So those are the conditioning.

Once then there is a couple of stress techniques.

We're.

You sit on the floor you've put your hands above your head right and it causes some muscle fifteen.

There.

It is to make them as uncomfortable and miserable most possible -- you can get information correct okay.

And what we're gonna get into the war than what we call waterboarding -- next.

But it's also done under supervision very strict guidelines very very -- you really get it to three people exactly how to lose a beta.

This Khalid Sheikh Mohammed right and and direction machinery who was the the person responsible for the bombing of the US is -- Are we come back the books fascinating thing he's from an -- gives you it really brings us inside the world.

That.

Helps out my opinion helps stabilize that some people deny -- -- we'll let you make that case we get back -- won't mr.

Rodriguez and then coming up -- the docket.

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