Not Torture? - Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Was Waterboarded 183 Times in One Month

[kpete]

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Was Waterboarded 183 Times in One Month
By: emptywheel Saturday April 18, 2009 11:57 am

I've put this detail in a series of posts, but it really deserves a full post. According to the May 30, 2005 Bradbury memo, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was waterboarded 183 times in March 2003 and Abu Zubaydah was waterboarded 83 times in August 2002.

On page 37 of the OLC memo, in a passage discussing the differences between SERE techniques and the torture used with detainees, the memo explains:

The CIA used the waterboard "at least 83 times during August 2002" in the interrogation of Zubaydah. IG Report at 90, and 183 times during March 2003 in the interrogation of KSM, see id. at 91.

Note, the information comes from the CIA IG report which, in the case of Abu Zubaydah, is based on having viewed the torture tapes as well as other materials. So this is presumably a number that was once backed up by video evidence.

The same OLC memo passage explains how the CIA might manage to waterboard these men so many times in one month each (though even with these chilling numbers, the CIA's math doesn't add up).

...where authorized, it may be used for two "sessions" per day of up to two hours. During a session, water may be applied up to six times for ten seconds or longer (but never more than 40 seconds). In a 24-hour period, a detainee may be subjected to up to twelve minutes of water appliaction. See id. at 42. Additionally, the waterboard may be used on as many as five days during a 30-day approval period.

more at:
http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/18/khalid-sheikh-mohammed-was-waterboarded-183-times-in-one-month/

[Senator]

1. K&R

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. Just a little hazing, rummy said so. n/t

[Gregorian]

3. This has to be broadcast far and wide.

And for what reason was Bush torturing? I still don't have an answer. No one so much as threatened this country with war.

I can understand the rage behind those who have lost their patience waiting for justice.

Sickening. I'm embarrassed to be an American. Although we can change that.

[ProSense]

4. Time for the Bush war criminals to lawyer up. n/t

[MrPerson]

5. The travesty is that he has not been tried.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. The detail. The precision of the "rules".

The clinical calculations.
The "formula" for torturing people.

Does this remind anyone besides me of field notes from a German concentration camp?
Dr. Mengele comes to mind.

[bluesmail]

7. Springtime is a good time to travel...abroad. eom

[CJCRANE]

8. Bushco gave the impression

that waterboarding was so effective that they only had to do it once and then KSM spilled the beans within minutes.

[Cirque du So-What]

9. Waterboarding KSM was a resounding success

Not only did the CIA extract confessions that he was the mastermind behind hundreds of nefarious plots, he also claimed the he...

* threw the overalls in Mrs. Murphy's chowder

* put the bomp in the bomp bah bomp bah bomp (he may have also put the ram in the rama lama ding dong)

* let the dogs out

* shot the sheriff (but he did not shoot the deputy)

* stole Austin Powers' mojo

* put the lime in the coconut

* wrote the Book of Love

Even though it occurred over twenty years before I was born, I would probably confess to having kidnapped the Lindbergh baby if it spared me another round of waterboarding. I've grown rather fond of breathing air, you see...it's practically habitual with me. I'm just funny that way.

[Gregorian]

10. Be on the lookout for the one who brought the boys to the yard!

There is suspicion to believe it wasn't a shake.

:)

[Mister Ed]

11. Turns out he also shot Liberty Valence, and framed Roger Rabbit

It takes extraordinary rendition to get such extraordinary confessions as these.