RESPONSE TO REQUEST FROM DIRECTOR FOR ASSESSMENT OF EIT EFFECTIVENESS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: Documents Related to the Former Detention and Interrogation Program
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 6541719
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Release Date: June 13, 2016
• Case Number: F-2015-02400
• Publication Date: September 23, 2005

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MEMORANDUM September 23, 2005
To: The Honorable Porter Goss, Director
Central Intellieence Aeencv
From:
(b)(3) CIAAct
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Subject: Response to req4st from Director for Assessment of ETT effectiveness
1. Background Information and Tasking. The CIA Office of the Inspector
General filed a report on May 7, 2004 reviewing the Agency's
counterterrorism detention and interrogation activities (2003-7123-IG). That
report criticized certain aspects of the Agency's program for handling and
interrogating high value detainees. One of the recommendations of that report
directed that the agency "conduct a review of the effectiveness of each of the
authorized EITs [enhanced interrogation techniques] and make a
determination regarding the necessity for the continued use of each. . ." The
report further directed that this review "include in the group conducting the
(b)(3) CIAAct review non-Aeencv independent experts " The Director subsequently
(b)(6) asked to undertake this review. This
report contains my observations
We met with the Director and with the leadership of the Special Missions
Department of the Rendition, Detention and Interrogation program of the DCI
Counterterrorism Center. Our tasking was specifically refined to help assess
the efficacy of the EITs in developing intelligence information for operational
use against Al-Qa'ida (AQ) operatives and operations. We were given
extensive materials on the detainee program and were given access to
everything that we requested. Our inquiry was restricted because of
classification purposes to the materials presented to or otherwise made
available by the RDI program office. We did meet with the Inspector General
and his staff
3. We were not asked to assess the legality of the program_ We were given
copies of the legal rulings from the Justice Department under which the
program was authorized and is being conducted.
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1 3 . As stated earlier, there is no objective way to answer the question of efficacy.
Because of classification, it is not possible to compare this prop-am with other
programs (e.g. law enforcement procedures) which derive information through
interrogations. As such, there are no external standards for comparison. And
there is the epistemological problem of internal measure of effectiveness. It is
possible, however, to make some general observations about the program
based on "meta data" provided by the program office,
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To:
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Memorandum
September 2, 2005
Director Porter Goss
CIA
(b)(3) CIAAct
Assessment of EITs Effectiveness
Introduction
You have asked us to make judgments regarding the effectiveness of the range of
enhanced interrogation techniques (EITs) used by the Renditions and Detention Group of
the Counterterrorism Center of the ClA (CTC/RDG) on high value detainees (HVDs). It
is my understanding that this request evolved from a recommendation in a 2004 report of
the CIA Inspector General that addressed the larger issue of agency-wide
counterterrorism detention and interrogation activities that took place from September,
2001 ? October, 20031. During the course of our review, we have interviewed senior
staff of CTC, CTC/RDG, OMS, 01G, DI, contract employees of CTC, as well as agents
of the F1131. We have been heavily reliant on the willingness of CTC staff to provide us
with the factual material that forms the basis of our conclusions and I am grateful to them
and to all others who so generously shared with us their time, knowledge and experience.
Neither my background nor field of expertise particularly lend themselves to judging the
effectiveness of interrogation techniques, taken individually or collectively. However,
have spent considerable time and energy studying the important responsibilities of the
RDG and the role this program plays in providing extraordinarily useful intelligence to
both policymakers and those on the front lines defending America.
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The report contains a recorrunendation that asks the DDO to "conduct a review of the effectiveness of
each of the authorized Ell's (Enhance Interrogation Techniques) and make a determination regarding the
necessity for the continued use of each, including the required scope and duration of each technique.
Include in the group conducting the review non-Agency, independent experts recommended by the Director
of OMS and the Deputy Director for Science &Tectwolopv'
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Overall Program Effectiveness
It is clear from our discussions with both DO and DI officers that the program is deemed
by them to be a great success, and I would concur. The EITs, as part of the overall
program, are credited with enabling the US to disrupt terrorist plots, capture additional
terrorists, and collect a high volume of useful intelligence on al-Qai'da (AQ). The
program accounts for over haY- of all 1-IITIAINT CIA collection against AQ and associated
groups, and vast numbers of intelligence reports have been produced as a result. Source
validation is another major benefit of the program. There are accounts of numerous plots
against the US and the West that were revealed as a result oft-I-VD interrogations.
Detainee reporting from the RDG program has played a significant role in the capture of
nearly all AQ operatives and associates in US custody, no doubt saving countless
American lives.
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