The U.S. Department of Justice Monday named a federal prosecutor to investigate if the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)'s interrogations of terrorist suspects were illegal.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced in a statement that John Durham has been appointed as a special prosecutor to probe CIA prisoner abuse cases.
"I fully realize that my decision to commence this preliminary review will be controversial," Holder said. "In this case, given all of the information currently available, it is clear to me that this review is the only responsible course of action for me to take."
The decision was made public after the department's ethics watchdog recommended to consider prosecution of CIA's employees or contractors for torturing terrorist suspects.
According to U.S. media reports, Durham has been investigating the destruction of CIA interrogation tapes since January 2008.
Holder admitted that his decision to reopen the investigation "will be controversial," and noted that there would be no prosecution of CIA personnel "who acted in good faith and within the scope of the legal guidance given by" the Bush administration lawyers.
"This preliminary review will not focus on those individuals," he said.
President Barack Obama, who has reiterated that he wanted to move on rather than dwell on interrogation policy practices during the Bush administration, on Monday said he would respect Holder's decision.
"The president thinks that Eric Holder, who he appointed as a very independent attorney general, should make those decisions," White House spokesman Bill Burton said when reading the president's statement.
"The president agrees with the Attorney General that those who acted in good faith and within the scope of legal guidance should not be prosecuted," he said. "Ultimately, determinations about whether someone broke the law are made independently by the Attorney General."