CIA report: intelligence community defends work in fighting terrorism

The US intelligence community has unleashed a vigorous defence of its work in fighting terrorism, with the CIA releasing documents and former officials making impassioned arguments to challenge a Senate committee's findings that the agency had tortured detainees in the aftermath of September 11.

Current and former CIA officials went on a media blitz to ensure their side was included in the debate sparked by the release of a report that found that the CIA's detention and interrogation programme was more brutal than portrayed and did not yield information to thwart attacks.

In a series of television interviews, newspaper columns and online forums, CIA officials and sympathisers offered variations of the same basic rebuttals: that the harsh techniques were authorised under the law, effective in gleaning intelligence and known to and approved by officials in Washington who were briefed dozens of times.

CIA director John Brennan acknowledged in a statement that "the detention and interrogation programme had shortcomings and the agency made mistakes".

But while the CIA had "common ground" with some findings, Brennan said "we part ways with the committee on some key points". He said intelligence gleaned was used to disrupt attack plans, capture terrorists and save lives. And he baulked at the conclusion that CIA officials had tried to hide the extent of the programme.

"While we made mistakes, the record does not support the study's inference that the agency systematically and intentionally misled each of these audiences on the effectiveness of the programme," the statement said.

The CIA received some backup from the six Republicans on the Intelligence Committee. They issued a "minority report", complaining that the Democratic-driven probe had cost taxpayers more than US$40 million and "diverted countless CIA analytic and support resources".