Bush gave CIA secret powers

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From correspondents in New York
March 07, 2005
From: Reuters

THE Bush Administration gave the CIA extensive authority to send terrorism suspects to foreign countries for interrogation just days after the September 11 attacks, the New York Times reported.

The transfers under a process known as "rendition" have been under scrutiny in recent weeks after several former detainees complained of inhumane treatment
One former detainee is 49-year-old Australian citizen Mamdouh Habib.

Citing current and former government officials, the Times reported President George W. Bush signed a still-classified directive that gave the CIA a broad power to operate without case-by-case approval from the White House.

Since the September 11 attacks the CIA has flown 100-150 suspects to countries including Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Pakistan. One senior US official said the program had been aimed only at those suspected of knowledge about terrorism operations and were transferred with promises they would not be tortured. He did not dispute there had been mistreatment on some occasions but said no one had died.
http://classifieds.news.com.au/?from=ninews_leftnav