VOA常速英语2007年-CIA and Justice Dept. to Investigate Destructio
时间：2007-12-22 06:16:11
搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号：tingroom，领取免费英语资料大礼包。
（单词翻译）
By Margaret Besheer
Washington
08 December 2007
The U.S. Justice Department and the Central Inteligence Agency (CIA) announced Saturday that they would open an investigation1 into the spy agency's destruction of videotapes that showed the interrogation of terrorism suspects. From Washington, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more.
The announcement to conduct a preliminary inquiry2 follows strong demands from Democrats3 on Capitol Hill for an investigation, with some lawmakers accusing the CIA of a cover-up.
CIA Director Michael Hayden, who earlier acknowledged that his agency had destroyed the tapes in 2005, welcomed the announcement of the investigation and said the CIA would fully4 cooperate.
The decision to investigate comes just days after Hayden said the CIA had made and destroyed videotapes documenting interrogations of terrorism suspects that used techniques critics have denounced as torture.
A CIA official in charge of covert5 operations allegedly ordered the destruction of the tapes without informing the agency's lawyers.
Congressional Democrats have demanded the Justice Department investigate whether the CIA's destruction of the tapes amounts to obstruction6 of justice, in an effort to cover up evidence of possible abuse and torture of detainees. Law professor Jonathan Turley states, "these are very serious allegations, that raise as many as six identifiable crimes ranging from contempt of Congress, to contempt of Justice, to perjury7, to false statements."
CIA director Hayden says the tapes were made in 2002 as part of a secret detention8 and interrogation program that began with the arrest of a suspected al-Qaida lieutenant9. The taping was discontinued later that year. In a letter to CIA employees, Hayden said the tapes were destroyed as a precaution to protect the identities of the interrogators.
The Bush administration has faced harsh criticism at home and abroad over its treatment of terror suspects. Friday, a White House spokeswoman said President Bush had no recollection of being told about the tapes or their destruction until Thursday when the matter became public.
分享到：
收听单词发音 
