CIA says releasing documents would endanger national security

By Pam Benson
CNN National Security Producer
WASHINGTON (CNN) - The CIA says national security would be compromised if it made public any more documents related to its controversial interrogation and detention program, according to papers the agency has filed in federal court.

Just last week, the Justice Department released thousands of pages of declassified documents related to the interrogation program, including a 2004 CIA internal report that disclosed abuses that occurred during the questioning of suspected terrorists at secret prisons located overseas.

Some of the detainees were subjected to unauthorized interrogation techniques, such as being threatened with a gun or a power drill and having pressure put on the carotid artery until the prisoner nearly passed out.

The CIA was under court order to provide the additional documents by Monday or explain why it would continue to withhold them.

In a 33-page response filed Monday, Wendy Hilton, a CIA officer who reviews documents for release, said, "The documents at issue contain information that implicates intelligence activities, sources and methods and information relating to the foreign relations and activities of the United States."

The American Civil Liberties Union, which filed the lawsuits seeking the release of the government documents, said the Obama administration is not fulfilling its commitment to be more open.

The ACLU wants the judge in the case to order the government to declassify the documents.