Interrogation plan [REDACTED] (April 2002)

120509Z APR 02 [REDACTED] 10016

[REDACTED]

SUBJECT: EYES ONLY - INTERROGATION PLAN [REDACTED]

1. ACTION REQUIRED: PLEASE REVIEW AND WILL ASSUME CONCURRENCE UNLESS ADVISED DIFFERENTLY. ALSO, [REDACTED] CTC ADVISED [REDACTED] THAT THERE HAD BEEN A MESSAGE PREPARED BY CTC OFFERING GUIDANCE ON LEGAL ISSUES WHICH WE DO NOT BELIEVE WE HAVE RECEIVED. REQUEST CTC RE-TRANSMIT [REDACTED] THANKS.

2. THE THREE MEMBER BEHAVIORAL INTERROGATION TEAM ALONG WITH [REDACTED] AS WELL AS THE TWO NVTAG [SIC] SPECIAL AGENTS SPENT THE EVENING FINE TUNING THE IMPENDING INTERROGATION OF [REDACTED] THE ANTICIPATED MOVE OF [REDACTED] FROM THE HOSPITAL TO [REDACTED] COULD OCCUR AS EARLY AS [REDACTED] APRIL 2002. REGARDLESS OF ACTUAL DATE OF TRANSPORT, ALL CONCURRED THAT [REDACTED] WOULD BE TRANSPORTED IN A STATE OF PHARMACEUTICAL UNCONSCIOUSNESS TO DECREASE POTENTIAL SECURITY CONCERNS AS WELL AS TO MAXIMIZE THE INTENDED EFFECT OF DISORIENTING [REDACTED] WHEN HE AWAKENS IN A NEW ENVIRONMENT. THE CONTINUED AND DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO DENY ORIENTING INFORMATION FOR THE DURATION OF THE INTERROGATION PHASE WILL PERSIST.

3. PRESENT ELICITATION AND INTERVIEW OF [REDACTED] APPEARS TO BE GATHERING CONFIRMATORY INFORMATION OF HISTORICAL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO THE OVERALL COLLECTION OF INFORMATION FROM [REDACTED] YET APPEARS TO BE INFORMATION THAT IS LIKELY BELIEVED TO BE DISPOSABLE AND FROM [REDACTED] POINT OF VIEW ALREADY KNOWN BY [REDACTED] THE PRESENT STYLE OF INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION HAS BEEN INTENTIONALLY PURSUED TO ALLOW [REDACTED] TO ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP WITH [REDACTED] THAT CONVEYS RESPECT AND TOLERANCE TO HEAR SPECIFIC AND [ILLEGIBLE]EALING INFORMATION THAT COULD BE SHAMEFUL AND DIFFICULT FOR [REDACTED] TO DISCLOSE. THE DEVELOPED RELATIONSHIP WHERE [REDACTED] IS VIEWED AS THE PRINCIPAL INTERLOCUTOR IS AN INTENTIONAL DYNAMIC THAT IS PART OF THE STRATEGIC INTERROGATION PROCESS.

4. THE MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS THAT TO DATE HAVE BEEN EBBING AND FLOWING PRESENT SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTY TO THE ENTIRE PROCESS AND HAVE THEREFORE BEEN CAREFULLY CONSIDERED IN THE INTERROGATION PLAN TO [MI]NIMIZE POTENTIAL DISRUPTION TO THE NECESSARY FLOW OF THE STRATEGIC [PLA]N. FOR EXAMPLE, ONCE [REDACTED] IS MOVED TO [REDACTED] AND THE INTERROGATION STRATEGY IS BEING PROSECUTED, THE RE-TRANSPORT OF [REDACTED] TO THE HOSPITAL HAS TO BE WITHHELD UNLESS GRAVE MEDICAL CONDITIONS DEVELOP. INSTEAD, THE CURRENT STRATEGY IS TO INCORPORATE THE MEDICAL DAILY CARE INTO THE PLAN SO THAT WE CAN ATTEMPT TO STAVE OFF A GRAVE CONDITION. CLEARLY, THE DAILY INTRODUCTION OF MEDICAL STAFF TO CARE FOR [REDACTED] IS NOT IDEAL TO THE INTERROGATION PROCESS, BUT GIVEN HIS MEDICAL CONDITIONS WE ARE BETTER OFF INTERWEAVING THE MEDICAL EXAMS THAN ATTEMPTING TO FORGO THEM. THEREFORE, WE WILL HAVE MEDICAL STAFF DRESSED IN UNIFORMS THAT ARE A SOLID COLOR, CONCEAL FACIAL FEATURES AND SKIN, AS WELL AS COVER THE EYES YET ALLOW FOR REASONABLE VISUAL PERCEPTION, I.E. TINTED GOGGLES. WHEN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, THE PHYSICIAN CAN REMOVE HIS/HER GOGGLES TO EXAMINE [REDACTED] TO ENSURE ACCURACY OF THEIR EVALUATION. FURTHER, IN AN ATTEMPT TO DIMINISH AFFIRMATION OF [REDACTED] AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND TO RESTRICT PSYCHOLOGICAL AFFILIATION, BY ANYONE OTHER THAN [REDACTED] THE MEDICAL STAFF WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO USE HAND SUGNALS TO COMMUNICATE WITH [REDACTED] AND WHEN NECESSARY, TO COMMUNICATE WITH [REDACTED] THROUGH [REDACTED] ACCORDING TO [REDACTED] WILL REQUIRE FOUR EVALUATIONS DAILY, THEREFORE WE HAVE DESIGNED THAT [REDACTED] WILL BE SEEN A MINIMUM OF 6 TIMES A DAY ON A VARIABLE SCHEDULE TO DISCOURAGE [REDACTED] FROM ORIENTING TO THE EVALUATION TIMES AS WELL AS ATTEMPT TO HEAD OFF [REDACTED] POTENTIAL MANIPULATION OF THE PROCESS BY REQUESTING MEDICAL CARE BECAUSE OF PAIN OR SOME OTHER SYMPTOMOLOGY. WE WILL CAREFULLY EVALUATE EVERY REQUEST THAT [REDACTED] MAKES FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION, YET OUR BASIC POSTURE WILL BE TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ATTENTION ON THIS VARIABLE AND INTERMITTENT SCHEDULE AND NOT WHEN HE REQUESTS MEDICAL CARE, UNLESS OF COURSE WE BECOME CONCERNED THAT HIS REQUEST HAS MERIT. THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THIS APPROACH IS THAT [REDACTED] WILL LIKELY ATTEMPT TO MANIPULATE THE INTERROGATION PROCESS TO TRY TO GAIN A LEVEL OF CONTROL OVER HIS ENVIRONMENT. TO FURTHER DISCOURAGE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS, WHILE [REDACTED] CONTINUES TO PHYSICALLY RECOVER FROM HIS GAPPING LEG WOUND, WE WILL USE STANDARD MEDICAL BINDING OF HIS WRISTS TO KEEP [REDACTED] FROM ATTEMPTING TO INTRODUCE FECAL MATTER OR ANY OTHER FOREIGN SUBSTANCE TO HIS OPEN WOUNDS TO CAUSE A MEDICAL CRISIS. AS HIS WOUNDS HEAL AND THIS TYPE OF CONCERN DIMINISHES [REDACTED] WILL BE ALLOWED TO HAVE ADDED MOBILITY. THE 24 HOUR MONITORING OF [REDACTED] BY AUDIO/VISUAL MEANS FURTHER ENHANCES OUR EFFORTS TO AFFORD HIS MEDICAL SAFETY WHILE STILL ACCOMPLISHING OUR INTELLIGENCE GOALS.

5. THE SECURITY TEAM AND THE BEHAVIORAL TEAM HAVE WORKED COOPERATIVELY TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY IN THE STRATEGIC PROCESS WHILE RETAINING ALL NECESSARY SECURITY CONCERNS. THE SECURITY TEAM WILL BE DRESSED IN SOLID BLACK UNIFORMS, HEAD AND FACE COVERING AND THE USE OF HAND SIGNALS. THE SECURITY TEAM WILL FULFILL A VITAL FUNCTION IN THE OVERALL PROCESS AND WILL HAVE ONE OFFICER IN THE INTERROGATION ROOM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CELL TO HELP KEEP [REDACTED] AWAKE DURING THE DISORIENTATION PHASE OF THE PROCESS.

6. THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, [REDACTED] PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE AND THE ACTUAL INTERROGATION PROCESS ARE INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED TO DEVELOP THREE BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS TO ENHANCE COOPERATION AND WILLINGNESS TO DISCUSS VITAL INTELLIGENCE. THE DEVELOPMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DEPENDENCE, LEARNED HELPLESSNESS, AND SHORT TERM THINKING ARE KEY FACTORS IN REDUCING [REDACTED] SENSE OF HOPE THAT HIS WELL HONED COUNTER-MEASURE INTERROGATION SKILLS WILL HELP HIM FROM DISCLOSING IMPORTANT INTELLIGENCE. BY USING BRIGHT (PHYSICALLY NOT HARMFUL) LIGHTS IN AN ALL-WHITE ENVIRONMENT, WHITE NOISE PRODUCED BY [SOU]ND "MASKING" EQUIPMENT (PHYSICALLY NOT HARMFUL), DISORIENTATION BY NOT ALLOWING IN NATURAL LIGHT NOR ROUTINE SCHEDULE, KEEPING [REDACTED] AWAKE, MAKING HIM DEPENDENT BY NOT RESPONDING TO HIS REQUESTS OR DEMANDS, REMOVING AS MUCH CONTROL AS POSSIBLE FROM HIS ABILITY TO [REDACTED] AFFECT HIS ENVIRONMENT DURING THE EARLY PHASES OF THE PROCESS WILL ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NECESSARY MINDSET WHERE [REDACTED] WILL HAVE DIFFICULTY CONCENTRATING, PLANNING, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, [RES]ISTING THE PROCESS.

7. THE INTERROGATION PROCESS HAS TO BE AN EXTENSION OF THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL MANIPULATION THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED. [REDACTED] WILL BE GIVEN SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION IN USING INTERROGATION STYLE DIALOGUE AND WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ROLE PLAY WITH THE BEHAVIORAL TEAM TO INCREASE HIS COMFORT WITH THE PROCESS AS WELL AS PREPARE HIM FOR THE INTERACTION DURING THE INITIAL PHASES OF THE INTERROGATION PROCESS. ONCE COOPERATION AND VITAL INTELLIGENCE IS OBTAINED AND [REDACTED] APPEARS TO HAVE RESIGNED HIMSELF TO THE PROCESS [REDACTED] WILL MOVE MORE AND MORE TOWARD A TRADITIONAL DEBRIEFING STYLE. IF NECESSARY, [REDACTED] CAN BE RETURNED TO A MORE RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT IF [REDACTED] BECOMES RESISTIVE AFTER A PERIOD OF COOPERATION.

8. THE INTERROGATION PROCESS WILL ESTABLISH SHORT-TERM THINKING, DECREASED INTERNAL PROBLEM SOLVING AND DIMINISH EVASIVE TECHNIQUES THAT [REDACTED] HAS LEARNED OR HAS NATURALLY [SIC] IN HIS ATTEMPT TO CONCEAL AND NOT DISCLOSE VITAL INTELLIGENCE. [REDACTED] WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE A POLITE, RESPECTFUL AND NON-CONFRONTATIONAL INTERACTIVE STYLE WITH [REDACTED] WHILE ALSO NOT BE APOLOGETIC NOR UNDETERRED FROM GETTING [REDACTED] TO ANSWER [REDACTED] DIRECT QUESTIONS WITH SPECIFIC AND DETAILED RESPONSES. BY NOT ALLOWING [REDACTED] TO MANIPULATE THE PROCESS BY EITHER MAKING COMPLAINTS OR ATTEMPTING TO DERAIL  [REDACTED] THE SHORT TERM THINKING APPROACH WILL AGREE WITH [REDACTED] COMPLAINT FOLLOWED BY RESTATING THE QUESTION. THEME DEVELOPMENT AND MONOLOGUES BY [REDACTED] WILL FURTHER ENHANCE THE PROCESS. THE THEMES AND MONOLOGUES WILL BE CAREFULLY CONSTRUCTED BY [REDACTED] ALONG WITH CONSULTATION WITH THE BEHAVIORAL TEAM. THE PROCESS IS A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE WAY TO MOVE PAST THE "THROW AWAY" INTELLIGENCE THAT [ILLEGIBLE] WILL LIKELY ATTEMPT TO STALL THE PROCESS. THE USE OF COUNTER-MEASURES BY A DETAINEE IS NOT INTENDED TO KEEP THE INTERROGATOR FROM BECOMING AWARE THAT THE DETAINEE IS USING THEM, BUT RATHER ARE DESIGNED TO FRUSTRATE AND DETER THE INTERROGATOR FROM GETTING VITAL INFORMATION.

9. THE CURRENT AND ANTICIPATED TIME LINE AND PROCESS IS AS FOLLOWS: TRANSPORT FROM THE HOSPITAL, DURING WHICH [REDACTED] WILL BE MEDICALLY PLACED INTO AN UNCONSCIOUS STATE, [REDACTED] FACIAL HAIR, SCALP AND BEARD WILL BE SHAVED TO DENY [REDACTED] THE OPPORTUNITY TO DETERMINE HOW LONG AND FAR HE WAS TRANSPORTED. THE FIRST 24-48 HOURS [REDACTED] WILL BE KEPT AWAKE BY HAVING A GUARD IN THE INTERROGATION ROOM, OUT OF SIGHT OF [REDACTED] BUT CLOSE ENOUGH TO FIRMLY ROUST [REDACTED] AFTER THE INITIAL ISOLATION PROCESS, THE FIRST SESSION WILL OCCUR WHERE [REDACTED] WILL TELL [REDACTED] THAT THINGS HAVE CHANGED, THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT - MANY THINGS AND THAT YOU NEED TO TELL ME ABOUT MANY THINGS, BUT WE ARE GOING TO START WITH "THE ONE THING YOU DON'T WANT ME TO KNOW." [REDACTED] WILL AGREE WITH A PROTEST, I.E. THE ROOM IS VERY BRIGHT, BY SAYING "YES THE ROOM IS VERY BRIGHT, NOW [REDACTED] WHAT IS THE ONE THING THAT YOU DO NOT WANT TO TELL ME." IF [REDACTED] DOES NOT ANSWER DIRECTLY, [REDACTED] WILL INFORM [REDACTED] THAT HE NEEDS TO TELL [REDACTED] THE ONE THING THAT [REDACTED] DOES NOT WANT TO TELL [REDACTED] AND THAT HE WANTS [REDACTED] TO THINK ABOUT HIS ANSWER AND THEN TURN AND WALK OUT OF THE ROOM. THIS SAME PROCESS WILL OCCUR OVER THE NEXT MULTIPLE HOURS UNTIL [REDACTED] PROVIDES A "MENU" OF THINGS HE THINGS [SIC] [REDACTED] WANTS INFORMATION ABOUT. AS HE PROVIDES THE AFOREMENTIONED "MENU," WITHOUT REALIZING IT, [REDACTED] IS ACTUALLY PROVIDING/CONFIRMING TOPICS HE HAS INFORMATION ABOUT. AT THIS POINT, [REDACTED] WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO PICK ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT HE LISTED IN THE "MENU" AND ATTEMPT TO GET [REDACTED] TO PROVIDE SPECIFICS ABOUT THE TOPIC. IF [REDACTED] DOES NOT PROVIDE INFORMATION THEN [REDACTED] WILL INFORM [REDACTED] THAT HE WANTS [REDACTED] TO TALK ABOUT THAT AREA WHEN HE RETURNS, TURN AND WALK AWAY. MOST IMPORTANTLY, [REDACTED] SHOULD APPEAR RELAXED, CALM, ACCEPTING AND NOT APPEAR FRUSTRATED OR DISAPPOINTED BY [REDACTED] RELUCTANCE. [REDACTED] WILL CONTINUE TO BE KEPT FROM SLEEPING DURING THESE ENCOUNTERS. ONCE [REDACTED] PROVIDES SPECIFICS ABOUT THIS TOPIC AREA FROM HIS "MENU" [REDACTED] WILL TELL HIM THAT THIS WAS NOT THE "ONE THING HE DID NOT WANT TO TELL HIM." [REDACTED] WILL TELL [REDACTED] THAT HE [REDACTED] TO TELL HIM ABOUT THE ONE THING HE DOES NOT WANT TO TELL [REDACTED] REACTION TO THIS REBUFF SHOULD PROVIDE VALUABLE BEHAVIORAL CLUES AS TO HOW CLOSE WE ARE TO MORE VITAL INFORMATION AND THE DEPTH OF [REDACTED] RESOLVE TO RESIST. THIS PROCESS WILL BE CAREFULLY MONITORED AND WHEN APPROPRIATE [REDACTED] WILL PROGRESS TO UTILIZATION OF MONOLOGUES AND THEME DEVELOPMENT.

10. TO AID THE AFOREMENTIONED APPROACH, THE INTERROGATION TEAM IN CONJUNCTION WITH [REDACTED] OFFICERS, IDENTIFIED A PRIORITIZED LIST OF KEY ISSUES/TOPICS TO BE COVERED WITH [REDACTED] DURING THE INTERROGATION. THIS LIST WILL HELP KEEP THE INTERROGATION FOCUSED ON INFORMATION OF HIGHEST PRIORITY AND SERVE AS A USEFUL TOOL TO GAUGE WHEN [REDACTED] EMPLOYS RESISTANCE TECHNIQUES TO DIVERT OUR ATTENTION TO LOWER PRIORITY ITEMS. THIS LIST WILL BE PROVIDED SEPARATELY FOR HQS ASSESSMENT AND ADJUSTMENT AS NECESSARY.

11. THE WHITE NOISE GENERATORS WILL BE USED IN VARIABLE LENGTHS OF TIME TO HELP DISRUPT [REDACTED] PROBLEM SOLVING THINKING AND TO INCREASE HIS SENSE OF HELPLESSNESS BY HIGHLIGHTING HIS INABILITY TO ALTER THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND HIM. WE WANT TO INSTILL IN [REDACTED]  THAT WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY AND THAT THE ONLY MECHANISM HE HAS AT HIS DISPOSAL TO CONTROL THE ENVIRONMENT WILL BE IN PROVIDING VITAL INTELLIGENCE TO [REDACTED] OVER TIME [REDACTED] WILL EARN BASIC PRIVILEGES WHEN [REDACTED] AND THE BEHAVIORAL TEAM FEEL THAT IT IS CONDUCIVE TO THE INTERROGATION. QUITE CLEARLY, [REDACTED] WILL NEVER BE GRANTED A PRIVILEGE WHEN [REDACTED] REQUESTS ONE BUT RATHER APPEAR TO [REDACTED] THAT [REDACTED] CONTROLS HIS ENVIRONMENT AND THAT HE HAS TO PLEASE [REDACTED] TO MAKE HIS CONDITIONS BETTER.

12. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THERE ARE A VAST NUMBER OF OTHER NUANCES AND MINOR BUT IMPORTANT DETAILS THAT WOULD MAKE THIS CABLE SEVERAL VOLUMES LONG. WE THOUGHT THIS THUMBNAIL GIST WOULD HELP HQS GET AN APPRECIATION OF THE LONG AND CAREFULLY THOUGHT OUT PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO PERSECUTE THIS MISSION. [REDACTED]

END OF MESSAGE