WASHINGTON (AP) – One of the two psychologists paid millions for designing the CIA’s post-Sept. 11 program of brutal interrogations defends the treatment of al-Qaida detainees and disputes a critical Senate report.
“What I would love the American people to know is that the way the Senate Democrats on that committee described the credentials and background of the two psychologists is just factually, demonstrably incorrect,” James E. Mitchell told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Wednesday from his Florida home.
Mitchell, who is identified in the Senate Intelligence Committee’s report by a pseudonym, Grayson Swigert, declined to be specific about what he considered inaccurate.
He said a secrecy agreement prevented him from confirming his involvement in the CIA program or fully defending himself.
A U.S. official with knowledge of the program confirms that Mitchell is Swigert. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss information that has not been publicly released.