MOSCOW, August 2 (RIA Novosti) – US President Barack Obama has admitted that the CIA used controversial techniques of torture against al-Qaeda suspects in the aftermath of 9/11, Reuters reported.
"We did a whole lot of things that were right, but we tortured some folks. We did some things that were contrary to our values. I understand why that were contrary to our values," the agency quoted Obama who spoke Friday at a White House news conference.
Obama acknowledged that the United States "crossed a line" when torturing the detainees.
“And — and — and when we engaged in some of these enhanced interrogation techniques, techniques that I believe and any fair-minded person would believe were torture, we crossed a line,” he said.
The US president said Washington has to “take responsibility for so that hopefully we don’t do it again in the future.”
Obama’s comments come as the White House had handed over to the Congress a 6,300-page report about an investigation into "enhanced interrogation techniques" during the controversial CIA detention.
Media reports said some 100 people have been tortured by the CIA agents who used icy water, smashed the prisoners’ heads against the wall and deprived them of sleep.
These methods were believed to be widely employed during the administration of President George W. Bush.
This torture seems to be unnecessary as it has yielded no critical intelligence on terrorist plots, the reports said.
