WASHINGTON — As more information is leaked from a controversial Senate report regarding how the Central Intelligence Agency conducted “enhanced interrogation techniques” on high value prisoners during the War on Terror, the Red Hot Chili Peppers found they may have been unwittingly involved.
According to a report on Al Jazeera, terror suspect Abu Zubaydah was the only prisoner to be subjected to all 10 enhanced interrogation methods in what is now known as the 2002 Justice Department “torture memos.” The officials familiar with the Senate report who spoke with Al Jazeera reporter Jason Leopold, said Zubaydah was not only waterboarded, but “was stuffed into a pet crate (the type used to transport dogs on airplanes) over the course of two weeks and routinely passed out, was shackled by his wrists to the ceiling of his cell and subjected to an endless loop of loud music…the music used to batter the detainee’s senses was by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.”
The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has voted to release the executive summary of the 6,600- page report, which according to Senators’ remarks and recently leaked portions published by McClatchy News this week, the CIA utilized undisclosed “black sites” all over the world to interrogate prisoners, used “brutal” techniques that went far beyond authorization, and impeded oversight by the White House, Congress and its own inspector general.
When Chili Peppers bassist, Flea was told about the published revelations, he responded with this Tweet:
It is absolutely heartbreaking to hear Rhcp music has been used by the CIA to torture human beings. Anything we can do to stop that we will
— Flea (@flea333) April 12, 2014
TMZ approached drummer Chad Smith with a camera earlier, eliciting this response:
The CIA and State Department declined Al Jazeera’s requests for comment.
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