LSD Mystery: In 2002, Justice Dept. OK'd Dosing Detainees

  By Justin Rood -- TPM Muckraker

  Oct. 13, 2006 -- After reporting yesterday that lawyers for Jose Padilla accused government interrogators of forcing their client to take drugs similar to LSD or PCP, more than a few people wondered if I had been slipped a couple tabs myself.

  "I'm aware that this sort of thing is all too credible to those of us -- excuse me; those of you -- who hold the belief that the Bush Administration is the sum total of human evil in the universe," wrote Moe Lane at RedState.com. "But stuff like the TPMuckraker article is just silly, and unless you've got funny brain chemistry, it's preventable silliness. Get a grip."

  One has to admit, the author has a point. Giving detainees drugs like LSD and PCP seems stupid to the point of absurdity.

  So I was surprised to discover that in 2002, Justice Department lawyers carefully considered the issue and advised the White House that it was okay. In their view, it was acceptable to force detainees to ingest "mind-altering substances," as long as it was not intended to cause months-long bouts of serious mental illness.

more

READ MORE: TPM Muckraker

{mos_sb_discuss:2}