NCJ Number
30012
Date Published
1972
Length
24 pages
Annotation
MAJORITY AND MINORITY REPORTS OF THE COMMITTEE CONCERNING THE INTELLIGENCE NECESSITY AND MORAL AND POLITICAL PROPRIETY OF 'INTERROGATION IN DEPTH' OF DETAINEES LINKED WITH TERRORISTIC ACTIVITY.
Abstract
THE COMMITTEE'S OPINIONS ARE WRITTEN WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO TERRORIST CONFLICTS IN NORTHERN IRELAND AND TO THE COMPTON REPORT ON 12 DETAINEES SUBJECTED TO INTERROGATION ACCOMPANIED BY SUCH TREATMENTS AS HOODING, WALL STANDING, SUSTAINED MONOTONOUS NOISE, AND DEPRIVATIONS OF SLEEP AND DIET. THE MAJORITY FINDS SUCH INTERROGATION PRACTICES AUTHORIZED, MORALLY DEFENSIBLE, AND APPLICABLE IN THE CONTEXT OF CURRENT TERRORISM AND URBAN GUERRILLA WARFARE, PROVIDED THEY ARE CONDUCTED WITHIN SPECIFIC LIMITATIONS. THE MAJORITY RECOMMENDS SAFEGUARDS WHICH CIRCUMSCRIBE INTERROGATION ACTIVITIES AND PROVIDE FOR THEIR SUPERVISION AND REVIEW. THE MINORITY FINDS SUCH PRACTICES MORALLY INDEFENSIBLE, RUINOUS OF THE DEMOCRATIC TRADITION AND REPUTATION OF GREAT BRITAIN, AND UNPRODUCTIVE OF TRULY SIGNIFICANT OR TIMELY INTELLIGENCE. THE MINORITY MEMBER RECOMMENDS THE ABANDONMENT OF THESE TECHNIQUES AS THEY ARE CONTRARY TO THE CONDITIONS OF BOTH THE FOURTH GENEVA CONVENTION AND THE JOINT DIRECTIVE ON MILITARY INTERROGATION AS AMENDED IN 1967. AN EXTRACT OF THE LATTER NAMED DOCUMENT IS APPENDED.