UN says US practice violated int'l law and basic human rights

A damning report into the United States' brutal treatment of "war on terror" detainees triggered worldwide condemnation and calls for CIA agents and senior officials to face justice.

It was previously known that US interrogators tortured al-Qaida suspects in secret jails, but a detailed Senate report into the scandal was seized upon by nations around the world.

"Such a gross violation of our liberal, democratic values must not happen again," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said, reflecting the embarrassment of Washington's European allies.

European Commission spokeswoman Catherine Ray welcomed the transparency of the report, but warned it "raises important questions about the violation of human rights by the US authorities".

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said: "China has consistently opposed torture.

"We believe the US side should reflect upon itself, correct its ways and earnestly respect and abide by the rules of international conventions."

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, took to Twitter to declare the US a "symbol of tyranny against humanity", not just in the CIA torture program but in domestic law enforcement.

Afghanistan, which the US hopes will work with it to ensure a smooth end to the US combat mission there, distanced itself from its ally's excesses.

"The Afghan government condemns these inhumane actions in the strongest terms," said President Ashraf Ghani.

"There can be no justification for these kinds of actions and inhumane torture in today's world."

Poland, which hosted one of the secret CIA detention centers where detainees were shackled, threatened and abused in a variety of ways, was also shamed by the report.

Former leader Aleksander Kwasniewski said that, as president, he had put pressure on his then-US counterpart, George W. Bush, to end brutality at the so-called "dark site" in 2003.

"I told Bush that this cooperation must end, and it did end," Kwasniewski said.

Those who broke international laws prohibiting torture must be prosecuted, he added.

The United Nations said the program violated international law and basic human rights, and British-based advocacy group CAGE demanded criminal proceedings.

Around the world, human rights bodies have demanded that current US President Barack Obama - who halted the torture but has not gone after the perpetrators - take legal action.

'Russian roulette'

That is unlikely. In Washington, senior officials told reporters that nothing in the Senate Intelligence Committee report would change a decision not to prosecute.

"There was a career federal prosecutor assigned to this case and this individual conducted an extensive inquiry," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on CNN.

"And upon looking at the facts in evidence (the prosecutor) decided not to pursue an indictment," he explained.

The report said a CIA operative used "Russian roulette" to intimidate a prisoner and another - untrained in interrogation techniques - threatened to use a power drill.

AFP - AP

(China Daily 12/12/2014 page12)