HUMINT & Science

Methods employed by the United States to procure intelligence from human subjects have undergone increasing attention since September 11, 2001. The process of obtaining intelligence from captured subjects is known in the military as human intelligence collection or HUMINT and the practice has undergone unprecedented attention and review. While there is self-reported, official, and anecdotal evidence of practices and procedures approved for use and allegations about techniques actually used, it is difficult to separate fact from fiction. What is clear, however, is that there appears to be little empirical support for any of the interrogation practices officially approved by the United States military and other federal agencies for personnel who interrogate prisoners of war or suspected terrorists.