US may set up special interrogation unit for terrorism suspects

Officials say that this interrogation unit would comply with Barack Obama’s decision to ban such “enhanced interrogation techniques” as water boarding.

A source in the US government says that the unit would focus on intelligence-gathering rather than building criminal cases for prosecution.

It is thought to be an attempt to distance the White House from controversial interrogation techniques used under the Bush administration – but the nature of the new methods remains unclear.

On Tuesday the White House is expecting a recommendation on that special unit from a government task force on interrogation methods.

Some point out that it could also be a way to strip the CIA of some of its power.

Also, this week is the half-way point to the deadline when the notorious Guantanamo Bay is scheduled to be shut down – though it is still unclear whether Obama’s administration will manage to do it.