There are new documents in at the ACLU from their ongoing FOIA effort on the torture tape destruction matter. Here is the ACLU press release with link:
We’ve received some new documents in our DoD torture FOIA lawsuit, related to the CIA’s destruction of interrogation videotapes. They are posted here: http://www.aclu.org/national-security/aclu-v-department-defense, at the end of the section titled Documents Relating to CIA Contempt, with the date of 01/08/2010.
One thing we found interesting – there are a number of documents that focus on “lessons for the future,” some of those from as early as 8/2002, as though the documents memorialize what the CIA is learning as its interrogation program marches on.
Jeff Kaye has already spotted this one:
I think this is first evidence of actual approval from HQ for tape
destruction. Compare this with previous ACLU timeline (as of 11/09):
http://www.aclu.org/files/assets/20091124_Chronology_of_Videotapes.pdf
We knew about the 11/8 request, but not that permission was granted on
that day. If I’m wrong about this, please set me straight.