U.S. Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden (L), director of the CIA, stops to talk to reporters as he arrives for a closed-door session with the Senate Select Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington December 11, 2007. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst (UNITED STATES)
The Director of the C-I-A in the US, Michael Hayden has testified behind closed-doors before the country's Senate Intelligence Committee.
However, the panel's Chairman says Hayden failed to answer key questions.
The C-I-A head walked into Capitol Hill on Tuesday to face questioning by US lawmakers.
Michael Hayden, CIA Director, said, "We're going to talk about all that in here and I just want to let you know that this is what the Agency wants, to come down and lay it out in front of the committee."
Michael Hayden was questioned behind closed-doors about why the C-I-A destroyed hours of tapes revealing the harsh interrogation of terror suspects.
The destroyed tapes could raise legal issues, including the obstruction of justice.
The CIA symbol is shown on the floor of its headquarters in Langley, Virginia. (AFP/Getty Images/File/Mark Wilson)
The C-I-A claims the tapes were destroyed only to protect the identity of the interrogators.
But many Democrats and even some Republicans are skeptical.
Apart from defending the destruction of tapes, the C-I-A head must also justify some of the interrogation techniques used.
One technique in questioning is water-boarding...which simulates drowning.
Critics view this as torture. Some say it's a necessary procedure towards the prevention of future terror attacks.
As Congress investigates all these matters, the Justice Department has already started a preliminary inquiry into the destruction of the tapes.
Michael Mukasey, US Attorney General, said, "What I can say is that there's underway what is called a preliminary inquiry that is headed by the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the National Security division."
The CIA director will face another day of questioning by the House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday --- again, behind closed doors.
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