Musicians Protest Tunes Used in Interrogations
By Bernie Becker
This time at least, musicians Tom Morello and Trent Reznor want the music turned down.
Mr. Morello, formerly of Rage Against the Machine, and Mr. Reznor, of Nine Inch Nails, are among a group of musicians who have joined the National Campaign to Close Guantánamo and are supporting the group’s efforts to declassify records dealing with the use of music in detainee interrogations.
Previously declassified records and other reports have already documented some of the uses of loud music, including the playing of recordings by Nine Inch Nails and Rage Against the Machine. With the help of the National Security Archive, this group hopes to learn more about the use of music as an interrogation technique by filing Freedom of Information Act requests on Thursday with a host of government agencies — including the Defense Department, C.I.A. and F.B.I.
Mr. Morello, R.E.M. and The Roots said in statements that they were outraged that music had been used in interrogations and called for the closure of the detention center at Guantanamo. Other musicians backing the effort include Pearl Jam, Jackson Browne and Rosanne Cash.
“We have spent the past 30 years supporting causes related to peace and justice – to now learn that some of our friends’ music may have been used as part of the torture tactics without their consent or knowledge, is horrific,” R.E.M. said in a statement. “It’s anti-American, period.”
A White House spokesman indicated that loud music was one of the techniques tossed away during a policy shift on interrogations announced shortly after the president’s inauguration. And according to The Associated Press, a C.I.A. spokesman said, when the music was used, it was not employed “for punitive purposes — and at levels far below a live rock band.”
Aaron Harison of Keep America Safe — the recently formed group that accuses President Obama’s administration of “turning away from the policies that have kept us safe” — said the group would not comment on the new move.
Jayne Huckerby of the International Human Rights Clinic at the New York University School of Law, which represents two former detainees who faced music as an interrogation technique, said the Thursday filings could increase the understanding of the “psychological impact this had on the individuals that were subjected to it.”
“We’re far away from understanding” the extent music was used in interrogations, added Ms. Huckerby, who also pointed to a United Nations finding that the “sounding of loud music for prolonged periods” violated its Convention Against Torture.
According to Ms. Huckerby, Mohamed Bashmilah, one of the detainees represented by her group, has indicated that both “excruciatingly loud western rap and Arabic music” and “deafening music” were used while he was detained. Recordings by Metallica, Britney Spears and even from Sesame Street have also been employed as interrogation techniques, according to previous reports.
By Bernie Becker
This time at least, musicians Tom Morello and Trent Reznor want the music turned down.
Mr. Morello, formerly of Rage Against the Machine, and Mr. Reznor, of Nine Inch Nails, are among a group of musicians who have joined the National Campaign to Close Guantánamo and are supporting the group’s efforts to declassify records dealing with the use of music in detainee interrogations.
Previously declassified records and other reports have already documented some of the uses of loud music, including the playing of recordings by Nine Inch Nails and Rage Against the Machine. With the help of the National Security Archive, this group hopes to learn more about the use of music as an interrogation technique by filing Freedom of Information Act requests on Thursday with a host of government agencies — including the Defense Department, C.I.A. and F.B.I.
Mr. Morello, R.E.M. and The Roots said in statements that they were outraged that music had been used in interrogations and called for the closure of the detention center at Guantanamo. Other musicians backing the effort include Pearl Jam, Jackson Browne and Rosanne Cash.
“We have spent the past 30 years supporting causes related to peace and justice – to now learn that some of our friends’ music may have been used as part of the torture tactics without their consent or knowledge, is horrific,” R.E.M. said in a statement. “It’s anti-American, period.”
A White House spokesman indicated that loud music was one of the techniques tossed away during a policy shift on interrogations announced shortly after the president’s inauguration. And according to The Associated Press, a C.I.A. spokesman said, when the music was used, it was not employed “for punitive purposes — and at levels far below a live rock band.”
Aaron Harison of Keep America Safe — the recently formed group that accuses President Obama’s administration of “turning away from the policies that have kept us safe” — said the group would not comment on the new move.
Jayne Huckerby of the International Human Rights Clinic at the New York University School of Law, which represents two former detainees who faced music as an interrogation technique, said the Thursday filings could increase the understanding of the “psychological impact this had on the individuals that were subjected to it.”
“We’re far away from understanding” the extent music was used in interrogations, added Ms. Huckerby, who also pointed to a United Nations finding that the “sounding of loud music for prolonged periods” violated its Convention Against Torture.
According to Ms. Huckerby, Mohamed Bashmilah, one of the detainees represented by her group, has indicated that both “excruciatingly loud western rap and Arabic music” and “deafening music” were used while he was detained. Recordings by Metallica, Britney Spears and even from Sesame Street have also been employed as interrogation techniques, according to previous reports.
Kate Doyle, senior analyst for the National Security Archive, said that previous filings had not concentrated specifically on the use of music in interrogations.
“We expect to obtain documents that name bands and songs that were used in detainee interrogations,” she said. “The very small handful that we’ve already seen came up accidentally during requests that we’re not targeting music.”
Still, it’s hard to say how long it will take before Thursday’s filing produces any documents. Some of the petitioned agencies, Ms. Doyle said, have a history of being more responsive than others to information requests.
The filing comes two days after a group, the National Campaign to Close Guantanamo, released its first advertisement, which criticized Congress for standing in the way of efforts to close the detention center.
The list of songs:
1. Fuck Your God – Deicide
1. Fuck Your God – Deicide
2. Die MF Die – Dope
3. Take Your Best Shot – Dope
4. White America – Eminem
5. Kim – Eminem
6. “I Love You” – Barney The Dinosaur
7. Bodies – Drowning Pool
8. “Enter Sandman” – Metallica
9. Meow Mix TV commercial
11. “Babylon”– David Gray
12. Born In The USA – Bruce Springsteen
13. Shoot To Thrill – ACDC
14. Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees
15. All Eyes On Me – Tupac
16. Dirrty – Christina Aguilera
17. America – Neil Diamond
18. Bulls On Parade – Rage Against The Machine
19. American Pie – Don McLean
20. Click Click Boom – Saliva
21. Cold – Matchbox 20
22. Swan Dive – Hed P.E.
23. Raspberry Beret – Prince
24. “Dirrty,” Christina Aguilera
25. “Shoot to Thrill,” AC/DC
26. “We are The Champions,” Queen
27. Britney Spears “…Baby One More Time”
28. Barry Manilow “Mandy”
29. Captain & Tennille “Muskrat Love”
30. Twisted Sister “We’re Not Gonna Take It”
31. Neil Diamond“America”
32. Meat Loaf “Paradise by the Dashboard Light”
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