John Brennan: I Did Not Take Steps to Stop CIA's Use of Waterboarding and Other Harsh Interrogation Techniques
At his confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, CIA Director nominee John Brennan said he did not try to stop the use of enhanced interrogation techniques against suspected terrorists, but did express objections in private during his earlier stint at the agency. The answer came after questioning by Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.)
"I did not take steps to
stop the CIA's use of those techniques. I was not in the chain of command of that program. I had expressed my personal objections and views to some agency colleagues about ... waterboarding, nudity and others ... but I did not try to stop it, because it was something that was being done in a different part of the agency under the authority of others, and it was something that was directed by the administration at the time."
Earlier, the hearing was halted by committee chair Dianne Feinstein when protesters repeatedly interrupted Brennan's opening statement, shouting about CIA drone attacks overseas.
Watch the remarks:
