December 14, 2007	Friday	Zilhaj 3, 1428

WASHINGTON, Dec 13: The Democratic-led US House of Representatives voted on Thursday to outlaw harsh interrogation methods, such as simulated drowning, that the CIA has used against suspected terrorists.

On a 222-199 vote, the House approved a measure to require intelligence agents to comply with the Army Field Manual, which meets the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of war prisoners and prohibits torture.

The measure passed amid a Congressional probe into the recent disclosure that the CIA destroyed videotapes of Al Qaeda suspects undergoing waterboarding, an interrogation technique that simulates drowning.

Many countries, US lawmakers and human rights groups have accused the United States of torturing terror suspects since the September 11 attacks.

President George W. Bush says the United States does not torture but his administration will not disclose what interrogation methods are used.—Reuters