The CIA was first headed by a woman. Gina Haspel led a "secret prison" where the prisoners were tortured

Gina Haspel was appointed to the post of director of the Central Intelligence Directorate (CIA). She became the first woman in history to lead American intelligence. Haspel in the early 2000s led the “secret prison” of the CIA in Thailand, where they kept suspects in terrorism and subjected them to torture.

On March 13, US President Donald Trump announced the appointment of Gina Haspel. She will replace the head of American intelligence Mike Pompeo, appointed by the US Secretary of State instead of Rex Tillerson . Since February 2017, Haspel held the post of deputy head of the CIA. A group of senators included in the intelligence committee opposed her appointment. In particular, they indicated that the hapel was involved in the destruction of torture documents in “secret prisons”.

"Cat's Eye"

In the early 2000s, Gina Haspel led a secret prison for suspects in terrorism created by the CIA in Thailand. In the Thai prison, known as the “cat's eye”, as in other similar institutions, “dilated interrogation techniques” were used - in other words, torture. The prisoners beat, deprived sleep and imitated drowning. Among the prisoners of the “cat's eye” was Abu Zubeyda, who was believed to be a high post in the leadership of the al-Keda terrorist organization.

Zubeida became the first famous prisoner of “secret prisons”, to which the American authorities allowed to apply “special interrogation methods”. He was transported from one CIA prison to another and subjected to such cruel torture that he lost one eye. They tortured him, including in prison, “Cat Eye”, which was led by Haspel at that time. Whether she personally entered into such interrogations is unknown.

Destruction of video recordings

Interrogation and torture of prisoners of the "cat's eye" was recorded on the video. In total, more than 92 such records were made. In 2005, the deputy director of the CIA Jose Rodriguez ordered to destroy the shooting of interrogations.

The draft order to destroy video recordings, according to media sources , has been prepared by Haspel, which since 2003 headed the Rodriguez apparatus. Colleagues Haspel for the CIA, when her appointment was discussed at the post of deputy head of intelligence, insisted that, preparing an order to destroy the records, she only fulfilled the order of her immediate superiors and was sure that she did not violate the law. The fact that she led a “cat's eye”, when the shooting of interrogations passed, has no importance, her colleagues emphasized.

The application of “special interrogation methods” did not formally violate the laws, since the US authorities approved it, but the destruction of video reports became the reason for the criminal investigation. In 2010, the case was closed without charges.

Return "Secret Pros"

Despite the mention in the case of the destruction of records and the trials related to it, Haspel continued to occupy senior positions in the CIA. In particular, in February-May 2013, it was the acting head of the national secret service-the structure within the CIA, which enjoys great independence. However, Khaspel could not get a constant appointment to this position, including, including, due to involvement in torture in “secret prisons” and the destruction of documents.

Haspel’s connection with the program “Expanded Interrogation Technician” was again remembered in February 2017, when Donald Trump announced that he was putting it on to the post of Deputy Director of the CIA.

Shortly before that, the American media was at the disposal of the American media, which stated that the presidential administration was going to consider the possibility of reviving “secret prisons” outside the United States. The CIA officially closed them in 2009. The choice of hapel was then perceived as a signal that Trump plans to open prisons again. Official representatives of the CIA, commenting on the purpose of Haspel, said that we are talking only "about choosing the most suitable person for this work."

Andrey Sokolov