Thai Army Chief Denies Existence Of Secret American Prison

[george]

Thai army chief denies existence of secret American prison

General Anupong Paochinda. Photo: MCOT

BANGKOK: -- Thai army chief General Anupong Paochinda on Wednesday strongly denied reports that a secret United States prison existed in Thailand where suspected terrorists were held.

The denial followed a report in the Bangkok Post newspaper that documents supplied to the American Civil Liberties Union under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that a secret jail existed in Thailand, where some suspects were tortured for information.

"I can say 1 million per cent that a secret jail like this has not existed in Thailand," General Anupong said.

The US Justice Department has admitted that 92 tape recordings of aggressive CIA interrogations - far more than previously known - were destroyed after news reports of CIA torture in secret prisons appeared four years ago, news reports said earlier this week.

-- DPA 2009-03-04

[george]

Army chief denies existence of secret US jail in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Thailand’s Army Commander-in-Chief Gen. Anupong Paochinda on Wednesday denied local and foreign media reports that quoted US Federal prosecutors as saying that Washington had a secret jail in Thailand where al-Qaeda suspects were interrogated.

Gen. Anupong’s unequivocal denial was made after a local newspaper published a report on Wednesday saying the disclosure was made by US Federal prosecutors in documents submitted to a court in New York as part of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Senior Thai authorities denied reports by two American news organisations in November 2005 which accused the CIA of using “rendition” flights to transfer alleged al-Qaeda operatives to Thailand.

“There’s no secret jail for torturing terrorist suspects in (the northeast Thailand province of) Udon Thani,” Gen. Anupong said. “There’s no secret place in Udon Thani. Anybody can visit every district or village.”

Gen Anupong said he could assert “one million per cent” that there was no such secret jail and he could use his position as Army chief to guarantee this.

He said the Thai military will not take any action on the report, but it is up to the government to respond to the report.

The airbase in Udon Thani was one of the five used by the United States during the height of the Vietnam war during the 1960s and 1970s.

-- TNA 2009-03-04

[Splatter]

...and I can say 2 million per cent a secret base hasn't existed... because it isn't a secret anymore

[jackspratt]

“There’s no secret jail for torturing terrorist suspects in (the northeast Thailand province of) Udon Thani,” Gen. Anupong said. “There’s no secret place in Udon Thani. Anybody can visit every district or village.”

-- TNA 2009-03-04

Ah yes! But can "anybody" visit the Voice of America radio station just outside of Ban Dung in Udon Thani Province?

Me thinks not.

Edited March 4, 2009 by jackspratt

[CrossBones]

So where is it then? Nong Kai?

[handydog]

Secret Prison on Diego Garcia Confirmed: Six “High-Value” Guantánamo Prisoners Held, Plus “Ghost Prisoner” Mustafa Setmariam Nasar - Mindanao Examiner, August 2, 2008

Inside a 9/11 mastermind's interrogation - IHT, June 22, 2008

...The agency, desperate to keep him alive, flew in a Johns Hopkins Hospital surgeon to consult. Within a few days, Abu Zubaydah was flown to Thailand, to the first of the "black sites," the agency's interrogation facilities for major Qaeda figures.

Thailand, which had long faced Muslim insurgents in its south, became the first choice because CIA officers had a very close relationship with their counterparts in Bangkok, according to one American intelligence official. At first, the official said, "they didn't even tell the prime minister."

Inside a 'Black Site'

It was at the Thai jail, not far from Bangkok, that Martinez first tried his hand at interrogation on Abu Zubaydah, who refused to speak Arabic with his captors but spoke passable English. It was also there, as previously reported, that the CIA would first try physical pressure to get information, including the near-drowning of waterboarding...

US and Thailand: Allies in torture - Asia Times, January 25, 2008

... Political analysts and diplomats in Thailand suspect that the prison was, and perhaps still is, situated at a military base in the northeastern province of Udon Thani from where the US launched its bombers during the Vietnam War and is currently believed to monitor regional radio communications, including inside China.

Wherever the CIA-run interrogation facilities are situated, the torture of suspects in Thailand apparently represents the latest US violation of the Geneva Conventions and also controversially violates Thai law and sovereignty. The US congressional revelations about the facility also raises hard new questions about the role and possible complicity of Bangkok-based senior US officials, including previous US ambassadors Darryl Johnson and Ralph "Skip" Boyce.

The interrogations captured on the destroyed CIA tapes took place in 2002, during Johnson's term as the top US official in Bangkok; Boyce, recently retired from the foreign service, meanwhile recently admitted to a former Thai legislative aide of having knowledge of the facility but declined to give any details...

No CIA prisoners brought here since 2003 - Bangkok Post, January 22, 2008

...Thaksin Shinawatra, the prime minister at the time of the interrogations, has always denied that there was any CIA "base" or "prison" in Thailand. Foreign sources have told the Bangkok Post that the denials were technically correct.

The interrogations - or torture - of al-Qaeda suspects were carried out at so-called safe houses on a military base in Thailand, the sources said...

Waterboarding in Thailand:

Station chief made appeal to destroy CIA tapes - Washington Post, January 16, 2008

In late 2005, the retiring CIA station chief in Bangkok sent a classified cable to his superiors in Langley asking if he could destroy videotapes recorded at a secret CIA prison in Thailand that in part portrayed intelligence officers using simulated drowning to extract information from suspected al-Qaeda members...

Thailand's "secret prisons" - June 13, 2007

The Council of Europe released a report today on secret prisons: ‘High-value’ detainees were held in secret CIA detention centres in Poland and Romania, says PACE committee

This report also had references to the reported Thai secret prison:

...we have been told that Thailand hosted the first CIA “black site,” and that Abu Zubaydah was held there after his capture in 2002. CIA sources indicated to us that Thailand was used because of the ready availability of the network of local knowledge and bilateral relationships that dated back to the Vietnam War.

One CIA source told us: “in Thailand, it was a case of ‘you stick with what you know’;” however, since the allegations pertaining to Thailand were not the direct focus of our inquiry, we did not elaborate further on these references in our discussions. The specific location of the “black site” in Thailand has been publicly alleged to be a facility in Udon Thani, near to the Udon Royal Thai Air Force Base in the north-east of the country. This base does have long-standing connections to with the approach of most US partner countries, the Thai Government has denied these allegations outright.

COMMENTARY: What the US could learn from Thailand - Asia Times, April 7, 2006

...Ralph "Skip" Boyce, the garrulous US ambassador to Thailand, has maintained that Washington has in no way assisted Thaksin's controversial counter-insurgency efforts, which, similar to US military operations in Iraq, have been attended by allegations of torture and abuse of Muslim detainees.

Bangkok-based European and Asian diplomats, however, beg to differ, claiming that the United States' behind-the-scenes role in the conflict is an open secret in diplomatic circles.

...Thaksin's Thailand plays host to a joint top-secret US Central Intelligence Agency-run counter-terrorism center, charged with managing covert operations throughout Southeast Asia, according to a senior Thai intelligence official attached to the National Intelligence Agency. Those ties appear to have paved the way for the CIA to establish a secret prison in Thailand, where abducted terror suspects were allegedly held and interrogated. Ambassador Boyce has repeatedly declined to comment on the specifics of the secret detention center. (The facility was closed down in 2003, according to the Washington Post.)...

[KhunVee]

The jokes are getting better and better these days,...

I like the General's picture too, very convincing face.

[Sunny Valentine]

He might be a brother of that high ranking ploitician lady who a few years ago stated after visiting Pattay that she has not visited any signs of prostitution ....

[SurfRider]

"Ah yes! But can "anybody" visit the Voice of America radio station just outside of Ban Dung in Udon Thani Province?"

Why would you want to? -- You can get the Top 100 Hits List right here:

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/charts/char...llboard+Hot+100

And, it's probably worth noting that the #10 tune this week is "My Life Would Suck Without You"

[wrecker]

I do not want to sound cynical. But there is not one army in the world who admits to a "SECRET" jail. That is why it is called secret. The Thai army however does not have the advantage of doubt on their side. After all PM Abhisit did not even know IF the Thai army was holding boat people from Burma in custody. The bottom line is that the army is a state in a state in Thailand.

[aussimike]

The jokes are getting better and better these days,...

I like the General's picture too, very convincing face.

And of course there are no secret prisions here run by the US. despite what the US says about their existance - that would never be allowed to happen here - heaven forbid - and if the poor guy did admit to this he might just be side moved to an inactive post for opening his mouth. Just like the denials about no pros working in Pattaya - after the lady MP who was the minister in charge of tourism claimed after her one hour visit there during the day. Like there is no AIDS in thailand despite the fact that 1 in 9 thais have it and that 9 people die from AIDs related problems every day - and no way did the navy force the burmese refugees out to sea in unpowered boats to fend for themselves - -- guess we just have to follow the yellow brick road - and just how do u manage to keep a secret in this country anyway -- just deny it ever happened and hope that the newspaper and everyone else forgets about it -- hey remember last year and the yellow shirts destroying the country - think most have forgotten this also -- even the govt

[Scott]

I have often wondered why Thailand gets by with so much stuff with only the lightest of criticism. Now I know.

[Eilig]

why does media insist calling it "tough interrogations" or "aggressive interrogations" when it is plain and simple torture?

[nikster]

That's right, General!

Since it's been revealed that there used to be a secret prison in Thailand, it's no longer secret, hence there is not a secret prison.

[Tigs]

It is of course entirely possible that the Thai Army were unaware of the secret 'facility'. It would not be the first time that the CIA and the US Military have got up to things that their host nation know nothing about.

[venturalaw]

why does media insist calling it "tough interrogations" or "aggressive interrogations" when it is plain and simple torture?

If Thailand assisted the US in extracting information from terrorists that helped save lives, then all I can say is 'Thank you Thailand."

[imaneggspurt]

Well if hes not aware of it, it must be a secret then

[BigBadSeattleLad]

why does media insist calling it "tough interrogations" or "aggressive interrogations" when it is plain and simple torture?

If Thailand assisted the US in extracting information from terrorists that helped save lives, then all I can say is 'Thank you Thailand."

At last, a single voice of reason among the string of twerps whining for the human rights of sub-humans to plot our deaths. What these limp-wristed whiners mistakenly confuse as being 'humane' is unadulterated stupidity...

[Spee]

why does media insist calling it "tough interrogations" or "aggressive interrogations" when it is plain and simple torture?

If Thailand assisted the US in extracting information from terrorists that helped save lives, then all I can say is 'Thank you Thailand."

Yes, the same is true for me. I am very happy that Thailand and the US are close allies, economically, militarily and clandestinely. Many of the US's enemies are also Thailand's enemies. I would hope the US/Thai relationship would continue through the rest of my lifetime and beyond.

[Jingthing]

Info obtained by torture is crap. People will say anything to stop the torture. Doesn't mean they are telling the truth. I am ashamed of my fellow Americans who rationalize torture. Happily, you lot are out of fashion.

[precision]

If they take terrorists to the U.S., the courts would let them out and appologize for interrupting their killings.

[LTGTR]

Being a million percent,is that more than 100%? LOL,what a Thai clown.

[george]

The great website 2bangkok.com has a good summary of previous news on "the secret prison":

http://www.2bangkok.com/news05zc.shtml

[venturalaw]

Info obtained by torture is crap. People will say anything to stop the torture. Doesn't mean they are telling the truth. I am ashamed of my fellow Americans who rationalize torture. Happily, you lot are out of fashion.

Actually, good intelligence was garnered through interrogation that lead to foiling the attempted destruction of the Brooklyn Bridge. This has been well documented. Why do so many feel sorry for terrorists? I will never understand.

[venturalaw]

If they take terrorists to the U.S., the courts would let them out and appologize for interrupting their killings.

So sad that this is true.

[Jingthing]

Info obtained by torture is crap. People will say anything to stop the torture. Doesn't mean they are telling the truth. I am ashamed of my fellow Americans who rationalize torture. Happily, you lot are out of fashion.

Actually, good intelligence was garnered through interrogation that lead to foiling the attempted destruction of the Brooklyn Bridge. This has been well documented. Why do so many feel sorry for terrorists? I will never understand.

Don't know the case so can't comment.

This has nothing to do with loving terrorists. It has to do with not making MORE terrorists.

Abu Graib created countless terrorists. The idea is to make peace with the MAJORITY of the Muslim world who are not terrorists. Way less than one percent are terrorists. The only way to beat them is to make better friends with the moderate Muslim world based on mutual self interest. Most Muslims LIKE Obama. Torturing their Muslim brothers will ruin that potential.

Edited March 4, 2009 by Jingthing

[seri thai]

I do not want to sound cynical. But there is not one army in the world who admits to a "SECRET" jail. That is why it is called secret. The Thai army however does not have the advantage of doubt on their side. After all PM Abhisit did not even know IF the Thai army was holding boat people from Burma in custody. The bottom line is that the army is a state in a state in Thailand.

The bottom line is that Thailand is a state in the army, shurely? Ed

[csolgosz]

why does media insist calling it "tough interrogations" or "aggressive interrogations" when it is plain and simple torture?

If Thailand assisted the US in extracting information from terrorists that helped save lives, then all I can say is 'Thank you Thailand."

At last, a single voice of reason among the string of twerps whining for the human rights of sub-humans to plot our deaths. What these limp-wristed whiners mistakenly confuse as being 'humane' is unadulterated stupidity...

Yes, if they caught someone planning to bomb the area where my family lives, I would agree to at least their thumbs being cut off. Terrorists are not people who deserve humane treatment. (BTW, I am not American.)

[Screws]

iThe bottom line is that the army is a state in a state in Thailand.

Otherwise known as G.I.W.

'Government in Waiting'

[venturalaw]

Info obtained by torture is crap. People will say anything to stop the torture. Doesn't mean they are telling the truth. I am ashamed of my fellow Americans who rationalize torture. Happily, you lot are out of fashion.

Actually, good intelligence was garnered through interrogation that lead to foiling the attempted destruction of the Brooklyn Bridge. This has been well documented. Why do so many feel sorry for terrorists? I will never understand.

Don't know the case so can't comment.

This has nothing to do with loving terrorists. It has to do with not making MORE terrorists.

Abu Graib created countless terrorists. The idea is to make peace with the MAJORITY of the Muslim world who are not terrorists. Way less than one percent are terrorists. The only way to beat them is to make better friends with the moderate Muslim world based on mutual self interest. Most Muslims LIKE Obama. Torturing their Muslim brothers will ruin that potential.

I fully support the majority of Muslims, as I do people of all faiths. How much shame Muslims must feel to have maniacal zealots in the name of the Muslim faith be so utterly destructive to humanity as to plan and carry out the deaths of thousands of innocents. And therefore, I completely disagree with your statement that 'Most Muslims LIKE Obama." Call me an idealist, but I just can not fathom that concept.

Edited March 4, 2009 by venturalaw