Snowden rips Trump’s CIA pick over torture program

Former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden blasted the Trump administration on Tuesday for the selection of Gina Haspel to lead the CIA over Haspel’s former management of a “black site” prison.

In a series of tweets, the whistleblower, who fled the country after exposing classified information in 2013 about U.S. surveillance programs, attacked Haspel for her role in the 2002 torture of detainees at a secret CIA prison in Thailand.

The new CIA director was a key part of the torture program and its illegal cover-up. Her name was on the Top Secret order demanding the destruction of tapes to prevent them being seen by Congress. Incredible. https://t.co/HjVHCPCbpo https://t.co/VamIGa1A8w

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) March 13, 2018

“Interesting: The new CIA Director Haspel, who ‘tortured some folks,’ probably can’t travel to the EU to meet other spy chiefs without facing arrest due to an @ECCHRBerlin complaint to Germany’s federal prosecutor,” wrote Snowden, referring to a complaint filed by the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights.

Interesting: The new CIA Director Haspel, who “tortured some folks,” probably can’t travel to the EU to meet other spy chiefs without facing arrest due to an @ECCHRBerlin complaint to Germany’s federal prosecutor. Details: https://t.co/7q4euQKtm7

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) March 13, 2018

Are these really the values the US should be promoting? The CIA might as well start issuing uniforms decorated with skulls and lightning bolts. https://t.co/ZIeHWP57l3

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) March 13, 2018

President Trump said Tuesday that Haspel would replace CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who is set to take over for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, whom Trump fired Tuesday.

“Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State,” Trump tweeted Tuesday morning.

“He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!”