US embassy warns citizens in Pakistan after CIA torture report

ISLAMABAD: The US embassy here has warned American citizens in Pakistan against possible violence after release of a Senate report that revealed the CIA's brutal interrogation techniques on terror suspects.

"US citizens in Pakistan should be aware that the release of declassified versions of the executive summary, findings, and conclusions of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence's study on the CIA's Rendition, Detention and Interrogation program could prompt anti-US protests and violence against US interests, including private US citizens," the embassy said in a notice on its website.

It said that US citizens should pay attention to their surroundings and take appropriate safety precautions, including avoiding demonstrations or confrontational situations.

"US citizens are advised to monitor the situation via local media and our website, stay clear of all known demonstrations, keep a low profile, exercise caution, and avoid large gatherings," said the embassy.

The CIA report is the most extensive detailing of the spy agency's brutal interrogation of al-Qaeda suspects and Senate Intelligence Committee chair Senator Dianne Feinstein said at least 119 individuals were subjected to "coercive interrogation techniques, in some cases amounting to torture".

The detainees were reportedly arrested by US authorities from 2001 after the 9/11 al-Qaeda attacks in New York through to 2009.

They were interrogated either at CIA-run secret prisons in allied nations or at the US detention centre at Guantanamo Bay.