WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- The American Civil Liberties Union has asked Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to appoint an outside counsel to investigate alleged U.S. torture.
The ACLU said new Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff helped craft "the Bush administration torture policies" of detainees. The ACLU said in addition Chertoff was "the force behind the detention of hundreds of Arab, South Asian and Muslim men after 9/11."
In a Tuesday statement the ACLU said Chertoff's appointment "highlights the need for an outside special counsel to investigate the scandal."
"We are hopeful that as the head of the Homeland Security, Chertoff will commit himself and the department to upholding the Bill of Rights as he seeks to protect the country," said Christopher Anders, an ACLU legislative counsel. "While his record may have some troubling points of concern, we look forward to finding common ground with the agency that impacts the lives of so many."
