Associated Press
Friday, February 15, 2008

A federal judge ordered the Bush administration yesterday to tell him whether two CIA interrogation videos destroyed in 2005 were relevant to a case before him.

The videos showed the CIA using harsh interrogation methods on two terrorism suspects, but the government has not revealed what information was gleaned. The Justice Department has urged judges not to seek information about the tapes.

U.S. District Judge Richard Roberts rejected that stance last month when he told the government to reveal what evidence it has destroyed since 2005. The deadline to turn over that information was yesterday, but the Justice Department asked Roberts to postpone the deadline.

Roberts said he will not require information on the government's handling of evidence since 2005. But he demanded that prosecutors tell him whether any of the destroyed evidence was relevant to a case before him involving a detainee.