WASHINGTON (JTA) — Spanish prosecutors reportedly plan to prosecute six former Bush administration officials for their alleged role in torturing detainees.
One of the officials is Douglas Feith, a former undersecretary for defense policy who also has been involved in Jewish and pro-Israel groups.
According to the April 13 report in the Daily Beast, an online news site, the Obama administration has been in contact with the Spanish government about the possibilities of a prosecution.
It is not clear why Feith is being investigated; The prosecution apparently is based on human rights laws that make lawyers culpable for coming up with legal justifications for crimes. Feith was trained as a lawyer, but his role at the Pentagon strictly dealt with policy.
The other five accused had roles as legal counsel to the Bush administration. Feith has vigorously denied the charges.
The other accused include Alberto Gonzales, the former White House counsel and former attorney general; Jay Bybee, a former assistant attorney general; John Yoo, a former deputy assistant attorney general; William J. Haynes II, a former Defense Department counsel; and David Addington, a former counsel to Vice President Dick Cheney.
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