© Guardian
Full name: John Francis Leso
Health Profession: Psychologist
Branch/Rank: Army Major
Site: Guantanamo Bay
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B6,
B4,
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C1,
D3]
Dates: June 2002 - mid-January 2003
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Position: Behavioral Science Consultation Team (BSCT) psychologist with the Interrogation Control Element (ICE) of JTF-GTMO.
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Reported Involvement: Dr. John Leso was the first BSCT psychologist at Guantánamo Bay Naval Base (GTMO), and while in this role,
he participated in the torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment [
A1,
B4,
D2,
B13] of Mohammed al Qahtani.
[A1,
B1,
B5] A DoD log of the interrogation of Mr. al Qahtani shows that Dr. Leso observed at least two abusive interrogation sessions and, on at least one occasion, advised the interrogators on how to increase Mr. al Qahtani's suffering.[
B4]
It is not yet publicly known whether he participated in other sessions in which Mr. al Qahtani was abused, but draft BSCT policies and statements by his colleagues suggest that the question warrants further investigation.
[B7,
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Also worthy of further investigation is the question of whether, as a BSCT charged with supporting the GTMO task force's interrogation mission, Dr. Leso participated in the interrogation of other detainees during his time at GTMO.
[B7,
D1,
C1] This question is vital to determine whether he was involved in the
abusive treatment of other men and boys interrogated at GTMO between June 2002 and January 2003. [
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Additionally, Dr. Leso - a clinical psychologist with no training in interrogation prior to arriving at GTMO -
helped craft a policy of torture at GTMO by designing psychologically and physically abusive interrogation techniques and detention conditions. Together with psychiatrist Dr. Paul Burney, Dr. Leso co-wrote a draft interrogation policy memo for GTMO that incorporated illegal techniques adapted from methods used by the Chinese and North Korean governments against American prisoners of war. Their memo eventually formed the basis for a memo signed by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in December 2, 2002, in which the Secretary authorized at least eleven abusive interrogation techniques that were similar or identical to the ones presented by Drs. Leso and Burney. [
B1,
B6,
B8,
B9,
B10,
B11,
B6] Many of the techniques and conditions that Dr. Leso helped put in place were applied to Mr. al Qahtani [
B4,
B1] and many of the men and boys held at GTMO. [
B1,
D5] Eventually, similar techniques were also used on prisoners held in Department of Defense custody in Iraq and Afghanistan. [
B1]
Comment: Distracting us away from the issues that matter, their lies and how they confiscate inches of our freedoms and rights every minute, is one of the PTB's stronger weapons against us. How can we overcome it? By paying attention to their actions, not their words.