Adjustment to the Abu Zubaydah interrogation strategy (May 2002)

MAY 02

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SUBJECT: EYES ONLY - ADJUSTMENT TO THE ABU ZUBAYDAH INTERROGATION STRATEGY

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TEXT:

1. ACTION REQUIRED: --REQUEST ALEC/HRADQUARTERS COMMENTS ON THE TIMEFRAME [SIC] ON WHICH THE INTERROGATION OF ABU ZUBAYDAH CAN EXPECT TO OPERATE. OTHER COMMENTS ON THE BELOW ADJUSTMENT TO THE INTERROGATION STRATEGY WELCOMED.

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2. ON 8 MAY 2002, THE [REDACTED] INTERROGATION TEAM HELD AN ALL-HANDS MEETING TO REVIEW [REDACTED] STRATEGY FOR THE INTERROGATION PROCESS AND TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS NECESSARY BASED ON A REVIEW OF ((ABU ZUBAYDAH)) (SUBJECT)'S EMERGING RESISTANCE POSTURE AS WELL AS COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM BOTH CIA AND FBI HEADQUARTERS ON POTENTIAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE PROPOSED PLAN. THE MEETING WAS EXTREMELY PRODUCTIVE AND SERVED TO CLARIFY SEVERAL KEY POINTS OF THIS PROCESS [REDACTED]

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4. IN ORDER TO BETTER ASSESS THE PROGRESS OF THE INTERROGATION STRATEGY, THE TEAM REVIEWED OUR COLLECTIVE UNDERSTANDING OF ITS CURRENT STATUS. THE TEAM REVIEWED SUBJECT'S SKILLS AS A RESISTOR AND DETERMINED THE FOLLOWING:

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D. SUBJECT HAS DEMONSTRATED STRONG PSYCHOLOGICAL RESILIENCE.

5. THE TEAM ALSO ASSESSED THAT SUBJECT'S MEDICAL CONDITION HAS CREATED CHALLENGES FOR THE INTERROGATION PROCESS AND PRECLUDES FULL IMPLEMENTATION [REDACTED] STRATEGY. [REDACTED]

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B. THE TEAM WILL REINFORCE STANDARD OPERATION PROCEDURES FOR EACH INTERROGATION SESSION. THESE PROCEDURES WILL INCLUDE MAINTAINING CONSISTENT THEMES FOR EACH SCRIPTED SESSION TO NOT ALLOW FOR AN OPENING OR VARYING MESSAGE FROM EITHER INTERROGATOR. [REDACTED]

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7. THE INTERROGATION TEAM ALSO REVIEWED THE DAY-TO-DAY TREATMENT OF SUBJECT AND HIS ENVIRONMENT TO ASSESS WHAT, IF ANYTHING, CAN BE ADJUSTED TO FURTHER LOWER SUBJECT'S RESISTANCE POSTURE. THE TEAM DECIDED THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE IS TO INTERFERE WITH SUBJECT'S SLEEP IN ORDER TO DEGRADE HIS ABILITY TO MAINTAIN HIS FULL MENTAL CAPACITIES. THE MORE WE CAN TIRE HIM OUT, THE MORE WE CAN DISRUPT HIS ABILITY TO PREDICT WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO HIM AND TO THINK CLEARLY. THE TEAM WILL MODIFY THE MECHANICS OF DISRUPTING SUBJECT'S SLEEP BY SPACING OUT HIS REQUIRED MEDICAL CARE IN A MANNER THAT WILL REQUIRE SUBJECT TO BE DISTURBED FREQUENTLY WHILE STILL TENDING TO HIS MEDICAL NEEDS.

8. WELCOME ALEC/HQS COMMENTS ON THIS STRATEGY. WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP HEADQUARTERS FULLY INFORMED ON EVERY STEP OF THE INTERROGATION. REGARDS.

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