Friday, September 29, 2006

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Kit Bond, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, today voted in favor of terrorist detainee tribunal legislation which will allow the CIA to move forward with its critical interrogation program. The legislation passed the U.S. Senate tonight.

“We have had successes because of our terror fighting tools and efforts,” said Bond. “We have captured terrorists, used new tools to learn their secrets, connected the dots of their conspiracies and foiled their terror attack plans. That’s exactly what we need to keep doing, and this legislation will make it possible.”

“I’m pleased that with the terrorist tribunal legislation moving forward, we have clarified our strict adherence to standards that forbid torture in any way, shape or form and we are allowing our CIA to move forward with a humane interrogation program.”

Bond expressed concern over the public exposure of interrogation methods and continuing leaks to the media of classified information.

“In my meetings with intelligence officials, both abroad and here at home, I have heard repeatedly how the disclosure not only of classified information but also of our interrogation techniques, are extremely damaging,” said Bond. “Our personnel have encountered enemy combatants trained to resist disclosed interrogation techniques thanks to leaks to the media.”

“But some want to tie the hands of our terror fighters, they want to take away the tools we use to fight terror and hamper us in our fight.

“Handcuffing our law enforcement and intelligence agents, releasing and spreading our terror war secrets, and giving terror suspects our fighting methods and techniques is not an option. Our agents deserve better, our soldiers deserve better and our families deserve better.”