As the NYT broke the other day, General Michael Hayden is conducting an investigation of the CIA’s Inspector General, John Helgerson. Their first report on the story intimated the reason why Hayden was conducting such an unusual investigation.
A report by Mr. Helgerson’s office completed in the spring of 2004warned that some C.I.A.-approved interrogation procedures appeared toconstitute cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, as defined by theinternational Convention Against Torture.
Some of the inspectorgeneral’s work on detention issues was conducted by Mary O. McCarthy,who was fired from the agency last year after being accused of leakingclassified information. Officials said Mr. Helgerson’s office wasnearing completion on a number of inquiries into C.I.A. detention,interrogation, and “renditions†— the practice of seizing suspects anddelivering them to the authorities in other nations.
Last year’s coverage of McCarthy’s firing strongly suggest her firing was related to her opposition to the CIA’s torture policies.