DOJ Gives Senate Intel Report on Haspel, Destruction of CIA Tapes

The Department of Justice's report on the destruction of CIA interrogation tapes in 2005 have been delivered to the Senate Intelligence Committee ahead of CIA director nominee Gina Haspel's confirmation hearing, The Hill reports.

Haspel's role in the destruction of the tapes is one major sticking point for senators over her nomination. Her boss, then-head of CIA clandestine service Jose Rodriguez, ordered the destruction.

Haspel was absolved of wrongdoing, and the CIA last week declassified a report from former acting CIA Director Mike Morell stating Haspel "did not destroy the tapes . . . did not oversee the destruction of the tapes and . . . did not order the destruction of the tapes."

The summary handed over to the committee Monday, titled the "Durham Report," was compiled by former federal prosecutor John Durham and has never been made public or given to Congress. The disclosure follows a request made by the committee's ranking member, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va.

Durham did not recommend charges for Haspel, who drafted the cable ordering the destruction of the tapes which documented the interrogations of two CIA detainees at a "black site" prison in Thailand.

One of the detainess, Abu Zubaydah, was waterboarded more than 80 times before Haspel arrived at the prison.

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