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Thailand denies it ran secret prison or allowed torture on its territory Thailand denies it ran secret prison for CIA or allowed torture on its territory
(about 3 hours later)
Thailand has officially denied the existence of any secret prisons, or reports of any torture taking place on its territory, after the publication of the US Senate’s inquiry into the CIA’s interrogation techniques on alleged terror suspects. Thailand has denied the existence of any secret prisons, or reports of any torture taking place on its territory, after the publication of the US Senate’s inquiry into the CIA’s interrogation techniques on alleged terror suspects.
“A secret prison has not existed here and there are no [documented] reports of torture in Thailand,” Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana, of the prime minister’s office, told reporters. “No Thai agencies have carried out such operations. There have never been cases of bringing in these sorts of prisoners. We have never conducted any illegal activities with the US.”“A secret prison has not existed here and there are no [documented] reports of torture in Thailand,” Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana, of the prime minister’s office, told reporters. “No Thai agencies have carried out such operations. There have never been cases of bringing in these sorts of prisoners. We have never conducted any illegal activities with the US.”
Thailand is among some 50 countries believed to have either facilitated torture or hosted secret CIA prisons in the aftermath of 9/11, with its own secret prison said to have been named Detention Site Green. Thailand is among 50 countries believed to have either facilitated torture or hosted secret CIA prisons in the aftermath of 9/11, with its own secret prison said to have been named Detention Site Green.
Various leaked reports over the years have suggested the site was either just outside of Bangkok or in the northern province of Udon Thani. But Thai officials have denied the existence of secret detention facilities, despite the CIA confirming in 2009 that it had destroyed 92 tapes of interviews with terror suspects that had been safeguarded somewhere in Thailand.Various leaked reports over the years have suggested the site was either just outside of Bangkok or in the northern province of Udon Thani. But Thai officials have denied the existence of secret detention facilities, despite the CIA confirming in 2009 that it had destroyed 92 tapes of interviews with terror suspects that had been safeguarded somewhere in Thailand.
The Senate’s 500-page, heavily redacted report, published on Tuesday, mentions Thailand just a few times and always in reference to the capture of Hambali – one of the suspected terrorists behind the 2002 Bali bombings – with crucial details of the relationship between the US and Thailand either blacked out or omitted. The Senate’s report, of which a heavily redacted 525-page summary was published on Tuesday, mentions Thailand just a few times and always in reference to the capture of Hambali – one of the suspects in the 2002 Bali bombings – with crucial details of the relationship between the US and Thailand either blacked out or omitted.
But Suwaphan, who once headed Thailand’s National Intelligence Agency, said he did not see Thailand mentioned anywhere in the Senate report, adding: “The incidents mentioned in the report took place many years ago … Anyway, I can assure [you] there are no secret prisons or torture in Thailand.” But Suwaphan, who once headed Thailand’s National Intelligence Agency, said he did not see his country mentioned anywhere in the document, adding: “The incidents mentioned in the report took place many years ago … Anyway, I can assure [you] there are no secret prisons or torture in Thailand.”
It is unclear when exactly Site Green – which is mentioned in the Senate report – began operations in 2002, nor to what extent the Thai government and/or army were fully engaged in its operations. According to the Bangkok Post, then-PM Thaksin Shinawatra – who had proved himself a US ally by sending Thai troops to both Iraq and Afghanistan – was unaware of Site Green until after the facility had already begun detaining suspects. It is unclear when Site Green – which is mentioned in the report – began operations in 2002, and to what extent the Thai government and/or army were fully engaged in its operations. According to the Bangkok Post, then-PM Thaksin Shinawatra – who had proved himself a US ally by sending Thai troops to both Iraq and Afghanistan – was unaware of Site Green until after the facility had begun detaining suspects.
It was the close relationship between the CIA and Thailand’s own intelligence officers that allowed the CIA to choose Thailand as the site of one of its “safehouses” — a claim the paper alleges can be found in the Senate’s unredacted – and unpublished – 6,700-page report. It was the close relationship between the CIA and Thai intelligence officers that allowed the US agency to choose Thailand as the site of one of its “safehouses” – a claim the paper alleges can be found in the Senate’s classified 6,000-page report.
But General Anupong Paochinda, the interior minister, denied the army’s knowledge or involvement in such a setup. “The army was unaware of any secret prison in Thailand when I served as the army chief. At that time, I had given assurance that Thailand did not have any secret prisons,” Anupong said. But Gen Anupong Paochinda, the Thai interior minister, denied the army’s knowledge or involvement in such a setup. “The army was unaware of any secret prison in Thailand when I served as the army chief. At that time, I had given assurance that Thailand did not have any secret prisons,” he said.
Armed Forces Supreme Commander General Worapong Sanganetra also indicated that he was unaware of any such prisons or the torture of any alleged terrorists. Thailand’s chief of defence forces, Gen Worapong Sanganetra, also indicated that he was unaware of any such prisons or the torture of any alleged terrorists.
Site Green’s detainees are believed to have included Abu Zubaydah, the CIA’s “guinea pig”, who arrived after March 2002 and was soon being waterboarded twice a day, sometimes to the point of bubbles rising from his open mouth, or vomiting and blacking out.Site Green’s detainees are believed to have included Abu Zubaydah, the CIA’s “guinea pig”, who arrived after March 2002 and was soon being waterboarded twice a day, sometimes to the point of bubbles rising from his open mouth, or vomiting and blacking out.
Zubaydah was joined in November 2002 by Abd al-Nashiri, a Saudi national who the US claimed was one of al-Qaida’s “most skilled” co-ordinators. At Site Green, Nashiri was bound naked and allegedly threatened with sodomy, along with the rape and arrest of his family, according to the Rendition Project, a collaboration between academics at Kent and Kingston universities and the NGO Reprieve. Zubaydah was joined in November 2002 by Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, a Saudi national who the US claimed was one of al-Qaida’s “most skilled” co-ordinators. At Site Green, Nashiri was bound naked and allegedly threatened with sodomy, along with the rape and arrest of his family, according to the Rendition Project, a collaboration between academics at Kent and Kingston universities and the NGO Reprieve.
He too was waterboarded under greenlighted “enhanced interrogation techniques” until he was moved to another detention facility at the end of the year.He too was waterboarded under greenlighted “enhanced interrogation techniques” until he was moved to another detention facility at the end of the year.
Site Green was shut down in late 2002, when it is believed that a growing number of detainees required the CIA to move operations to Poland.Site Green was shut down in late 2002, when it is believed that a growing number of detainees required the CIA to move operations to Poland.
It’s not clear how many detainees the facility held at any one time or where they were each moved to. Various sources believe Zubaydah and Nashiri were moved to Poland before both ended up in Guantánamo Bay, where they remain today. It is unclear how many detainees the facility held at any one time or where they were each moved to. Various sources believe Zubaydah and Nashiri were moved to Poland before both ended up in Guantánamo Bay, where they remain today.
In 2003, Thai authorities helped to capture Riduan Isamuddin, alias Hambali, a senior member of the south-east Asian terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah, widely believed to be behind the 2002 Bali bombings and considered the CIA’s “number one target” in the region.In 2003, Thai authorities helped to capture Riduan Isamuddin, alias Hambali, a senior member of the south-east Asian terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah, widely believed to be behind the 2002 Bali bombings and considered the CIA’s “number one target” in the region.
According to the report, “the capture of Hambali is one of the eight most frequently cited examples provided by the CIA as evidence for the effectiveness of the CIA’s enhanced interrogation techniques”. But, the report concludes, “CIA records indicate that the intelligence that led to Hambali’s capture in Thailand was based on signals intelligence, a CIA source, and Thai investigative activities” – not information extracted by torture.According to the report, “the capture of Hambali is one of the eight most frequently cited examples provided by the CIA as evidence for the effectiveness of the CIA’s enhanced interrogation techniques”. But, the report concludes, “CIA records indicate that the intelligence that led to Hambali’s capture in Thailand was based on signals intelligence, a CIA source, and Thai investigative activities” – not information extracted by torture.