WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two U.S. human rights groups on Tuesday sued Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, saying he first authorized and then failed to
stop torture of prisoners in Iraq .... "Secretary Rumsfeld bears direct and
ultimate responsibility for this descent into horror by personally
authorizing unlawful interrogation techniques and by abdicating his legal
duty to stop torture," said Lucas Guttentag, lead counsel in the case. The
suit against Rumsfeld focuses on an order he signed on Dec. 2, 2002 which
authorized new interrogation techniques for detainees in the "war on terror"
being held at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. The techniques included "stress
positions," hooding, 20-hour interrogations, removal of clothing, exploiting
phobias to induce stress, prolonged isolation and sensory deprivation.
.......

The administration led by President Bush (news - web sites) says only a
handful of low-ranking personnel were involved.