Bush threatens to veto interrogation bill

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush Friday threatened to scrub U.S. intelligence efforts to question al-Qaida captives unless Congress passes clarifying legislation.

Bush said it is unfair to expect U.S. intelligence workers to go forward with the program without a clear indication of what is legal and what is illegal. He said such ambiguity could leave intelligence operatives open to war crimes prosecution.

Bush's remarks came during a White House news conference, just one day after the Senate Armed Services committee passed its own version of the legislation, backed by a group of Republicans, including Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a leading contender for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination and a former Vietnam prisoner of war.

The administration says it is trying to clarify Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, which prohibits any acts that impinge on human dignity. Opponents of the measure, including former Secretary of State Colin Powell, said any action could come back to haunt U.S. troops captured by enemy forces.

"They're not going forward with the program unless there's clarity in the law," Bush said. "Congress has got a decision to make: Do you want the program to go forward or not. I strongly recommend that we go forward."