Subject: appoint a special counsel to investigate torture To: "The American Civil Liberties Union" From: "The American Civil Liberties Union" Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 14:23:52 -0500 (EST) Thank you for using The American Civil Liberties Union Mail System Message sent to the following recipients: Attorney General Gonzales Message text follows: Matthew Belmonte [address] March 1, 2005 [recipient address was inserted here] [recipient name was inserted here], I urge you to appoint an outside special counsel to investigate any criminal conduct by military and civilians in ordering, or paving the way for, torture or abuse of prisoners and to release all torture related documents. An outside special counsel is the only way to ensure that all civilians or military personnel who violated, or conspired to violate, the Anti-Torture Act, the War Crimes Act, or other federal laws against torture and abuse can be fully investigated and held responsible. A small number of non-commissioned and low-ranking military officers should not be the only persons held to account. The public -- and Congress -- deserve to know the full extent to which torture has been allowed to take place. In addition to those who may have committed or allowed acts of torture of prisoners in US custody, investigation should extend to the practice of "extraordinary rendition," which in many cases amounts to torture by proxy. The Administration should also commit to the prompt release of all other torture-related documents, needed to shed light on the interrogation policies that authorized or allowed abuse or torture of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay, and elsewhere. Once again, I urge you to appoint an outside special counsel to investigate and, if warranted, prosecute civilians who violated, or conspired to violate, laws prohibiting the torture or abuse of prisoners. I also urge you to compel the release of all torture-related documents. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this matter. Sincerely, Matthew Belmonte