Judge rejects new CIA tape probe

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A US federal judge has rejected a request to open a separate inquiry into the CIA's destruction of tapes showing al-Qaeda suspects being interrogated.

The US government is investigating the destruction of the tapes, thought to show controversial techniques.

Judge Henry Kennedy said the justice department probe deserved more time.

The tapes were destroyed five months after Judge Kennedy ordered the preservation of all evidence regarding abuse of detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

The CIA had argued the ruling did not apply to the destruction of the tapes, which contained hundreds of hours of footage.

The agency said the tapes concerned interrogations which took place before the suspects were transferred there.

'Unwarranted'

The tapes' destruction was revealed in December by the CIA and a full criminal investigation was announced by the justice department last week.

CIA 'ENHANCED INTERROGATION' TECHNIQUES Water boarding: prisoner bound to a board with feet raised, and cellophane wrapped round his head. Water is poured onto his face and is said to produce a fear of drowningCold cell: prisoner made to stand naked in a cold, though not freezing, cell and doused with waterStanding: Prisoners stand for 40 hours and more, shackled to the floorBelly slap: a hard slap to the stomach with an open hand. This is designed to be painful but not to cause injury <i>Source: Described to ABC News by un-named CIA agents in 2005</i> <a class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7133579.stm">CIA boss faces credibility test</a>

Lawyers for 11 Yemeni inmates at Guantanamo bay told Judge Kennedy that trusting the justice department to investigate was a "classic case of the fox guarding the henhouse".

However, in his written reply, the judge said the interrogations in question had happened before his ruling on preserving evidence.

The detainees' lawyers "offer nothing to support their assertion that a judicial inquiry... is warranted", he added.

They had not "presented anything to cause this court to question whether the Department of Justice will follow the facts wherever they may lead and live up to the assurances it made to this court".

The US Congress is also examining exactly how and why the tapes came to be destroyed in 2005.