Release of CIA report pushed back again

The release of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s report on “enhanced interrogation” techniques has been delayed again, this time until late October, according to an aide to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).

The Department of Justice was due to release a summary of the report that details the committee’s investigation of a CIA interrogations program under former President George W. Bush in late September. The report was requested via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

{mosads}Feinstein intervened, requesting a one-month extension, so that the Intelligence Committee she leads, and the White House, could reduce heavy redactions made to the summary by the CIA, the aide said.

This is Feinstein’s second request for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to delay the summary’s release under the FOIA request.

The last request came on Aug. 12, in a letter asking DOJ to wait until the committee works with the administration to reduce the redactions, which she said would also benefit the FOIA requester. The first request would have put the report’s release on or after Sept. 29.

The new delay could result in the report being released in the days before the Nov. 4 election.

Republicans and critics of the Obama administration say the report is an attempt to embarrass President Bush and could provoke a backlash against the nation. Republicans on the committee did not participate in the probe, filing a dissenting opinion that is also expected to be released with the executive summary of the Democratic report.

The documents are expected to contain new details about the CIA’s treatment of suspected terrorists who were renditioned, detained and interrogated, often using techniques such as water-boarding, sleep deprivation and stress positions.

Discussions between committee members and the White House about redactions to the summary are ongoing, according to the aide.