Bush defends program of secret CIA prisons
`For the first time, US President George W. Bush has confirmed the existence of secret CIA prisons around the world, defending the program as well as “tough” interrogation procedures. [..]
Human rights groups have branded the administration’s “tough” interrogation techniques as torture and European Union MPs claim the CIA has conducted covert flights around Europe to transport terror suspects to countries where they could face torture.
Mr Bush stressed that the US does not use torture, claiming “it’s against our laws and it’s against our values”. He would not detail the type of interrogation techniques that are used through the program, but said they were lawful.
“I can say the procedures were tough, and they were safe, and lawful, and necessary,” he said.’
