[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 7 (Thursday, January 21, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S61]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           NATIONAL SECURITY

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, yesterday, several members of the 
administration's national security team testified before the Senate 
concerning the attempted Christmas Day attack by the Nigerian 
terrorist, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. This testimony was troubling 
indeed and left some wondering why the administration is subjecting 
this terrorist to criminal prosecution instead of gaining the valuable 
intelligence that is needed in our war on al-Qaida.
  Admiral Dennis Blair, the Director of National Intelligence, stated 
quite frankly that the Christmas Day bomber should have been questioned 
by the High Value Detainee Interrogation Group. Blair went on to say 
that neither he nor other important intelligence officials were even 
consulted on the matter. This raises several troubling questions: 
First, why were Miranda rights given to the obvious terrorist after 
only a brief session of questioning, which predictably ended his 
cooperation?
  Second, at what level of authority was this decision taken to treat 
him as a criminal defendant instead of an unlawful enemy combatant? Who 
made that decision?
  I asked this question last night of John Brennan, the President's 
senior counterterrorism adviser, three times, and he refused to answer. 
I think the Senate is entitled to know precisely who authorized this.
  A year ago, the President decided to revise the Nation's 
interrogation policies and to restrict the CIA's ability to question 
terrorists. The administration created a High Value Detainee 
Interrogation Group precisely for the purpose of questioning 
terrorists. Why wasn't this group brought in once this terrorist was 
taken into custody?
  Americans are going to need to know the answers to those questions.
  I yield the floor.

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