For Immediate Release: March 10, 2011
Contact: Alanna Sobel, alanna@rabinowitz-dorf.com, (202) 265-3000

Today, Rep. Peter King (NY-3) held the first in what he has said will be a series of hearings into the “radicalization of the American Muslim community” and its alleged unwillingness to cooperate with law enforcement agencies to stop terrorism. In response to the hearing, Rev. Richard Killmer, Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT), issued this statement:

“It is unfortunate that instead of holding a hearing on how to combat all sources of violence and terror, Rep. King has instead chosen to single out a particular faith community as responsible for terrorism. Despite protestations to the contrary, the focus of this hearing was on Muslims and the implication was that terrorism results from Islam. This is wrong. Terrorist organizations can come from various faiths – one example is the KKK, which has a long history of terrorizing U.S. citizens. We believe that Rep. King’s hearing should have focused on all sources of violence and terror. Congress should work to bring Americans of all faiths together in the effort to combat terrorism, not to divide us along sectarian lines.

For Immediate Release: March 8, 2011
Contact: Alanna Sobel, alanna@rabinowitz-dorf.com, (202) 265-3000

NATIONAL RELIGIOUS CAMPAIGN AGAINST TORTURE ASKS
REPRESENTATIVE PETER KING TO CANCEL ANTI-MUSLIM HEARINGS

Rep. Peter King (NY-3) has announced that he will hold a series of hearings on the “radicalization of the American Muslim community” and its alleged unwillingness to cooperate with law enforcement agencies to stop terrorism.

In response to the hearings, Rev. Richard Killmer, Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT), issued this statement:

“We believe there is a better way to make our nation safe than to inappropriately single out one faith community. Instead of emphasizing our differences, our safety as a nation would be increased if the government asked all the religious communities in America to work together for our nation’s security.

For Immediate Release: February 8, 2011

Contact: Alanna Sobel, alanna@rabinowitz-dorf.com, (202) 265-3000

Egyptian Citizens Face Torture:  People of Faith Ask Secretary Clinton to Take Action

(Washington, DC) In response to reports of Egyptians being tortured by security forces during the current unrest, the National Religious Campaign Against Torture sent a letter to Secretary of State Clinton today, asking her to press the Egyptian government to end the use of torture.

For Immediate Release: February 7, 2011
Contact: Alanna Sobel, alanna@rabinowitz-dorf.com, (202) 265-3000

Rumsfeld Passes the Buck – A Faith Leader Responds

(Washington, DC)  In the wake of reports that in his new book, “Known and Unknown,” former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld blamed the abuses at Abu Ghraib on a few rogue soldiers, Rev. Richard L. Killmer, Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, released this statement today calling on Mr. Rumsfeld to take responsibility for helping to create the conditions that led to those abuses and calling on the U.S. government to create a Commission of Inquiry to achieve real accountability for torture:

For Immediate Release: February 1, 2011
Contact: Alanna Sobel, alanna@rabinowitz-dorf.com, (202) 265-3000

National Religious Campaign Against Torture Responds to Egyptian Crisis

(Washington, DC)  Rev. Richard Killmer, Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, released this statement today sharing concern about the past U.S.-Egypt torture program and expressing hope for a torture-free Egyptian future.

"There is strong evidence that in the past the U.S. rendered suspected terrorists to Egypt with the knowledge that they would be tortured. It is our hope that this time of change in Egypt ensures that no government of Egypt will allow the use of torture.  Further, we call upon the U.S. government to create a Commission of Inquiry to investigate all aspects of its past use of torture. The U.S.-Egypt torture program was a disgrace for both countries and should be fully investigated." 

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For Immediate Release:
December 18, 2010
 
Contacts: Rev. Richard Killmer, NRCAT, (207) 450-7242, rkillmer@nrcat.org
Alanna Sobel, NRCAT, (202) 265-3000, alanna@rabinowitz-dorf.com

National Religious Leaders Question CIA’s Decision to Pay Millions of Taxpayer Dollars to Defend Torture Program Architects

WASHINGTON – In response to recent news reports that the CIA agreed to cover at least $5 million in legal fees for two psychologists, Jim Mitchell and Bruce Jessen, who were the architects of the agency’s interrogation program, Rev. Richard L. Killmer, Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture released the following statement:

“Today's allegations that the CIA authorized $5 million in government funds to pay the legal costs of the architects of the CIA's torture program demand a full and public accounting.  If the CIA believed waterboarding was acceptable, then why did the agency feel the need to authorize five million tax-payer dollars to defend the interrogation program’s architects from legal proceedings? What exactly did these two psychologists do for the CIA?  How much of what they did was illegal?

For Immediate Release:
December 17, 2010
 
Contacts:
Rev. Richard Killmer, NRCAT, (202) 547-1920, rkillmer@nrcat.org
Alanna Sobel, NRCAT, (202) 265-3000, alanna@rabinowitz-dorf.com

WASHINGTON—Religious leaders from across the country today joined the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) in applauding the formation of an independent nonpartisan task force to investigate our nation’s use of torture.

The independent investigation will be carried out by the Task Force on Detainee Treatment administered by The Constitution Project (TCP).

“The task force provides a path to understanding how our nation came to engage in torture and can help restore our nation’s moral stature in the global community,” said Rev. Richard L. Killmer, executive director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture. “As people of faith we say, ‘Amen!’ because we know that the truth can set us free and can heal the brokenness caused by our nation’s use of torture.”

For Immediate Release:
Friday, December 3, 2010

Contact: Rev. Richard Killmer, NRCAT, (202) 547-1920, rkillmer@nrcat.org
             Alanna Sobel, NRCAT, (202) 265-3000, alanna@rabinowitz-dorf.com

Religious Leaders React to WikiLeaks Revelations on Torture
Cables reveal U.S. government pressured Spanish officials to drop potential criminal investigations of U.S. officials

WASHINGTON – Rev. Richard Killmer, Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT), issued the following statement in response to the revelations that U.S. diplomats put pressure on Spain to end an inquiry into the Bush administration’s use of torture.

For Immediate Release:
Thursday, November 4, 2010

Contact:           Rev. Richard Killmer, NRCAT, (202) 547-1920, rkillmer@nrcat.org
                        Alanna Sobel, NRCAT, (202) 265-3000, alanna@rabinowitz-dorf.com

Bush Said “Damn Right” to Torture. 
Religious Leaders Condemn Decision, Call for Full Inquiry 

WASHINGTON – National religious leaders are condemning former President George W. Bush’s reported prideful defense of torturing detainees in his new memoir, Decision Points, the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) announced today.

In the memoir to be released next week, the former president claims that he said “damn right” when the CIA asked for permission to torture Khalid Sheikh Mohammed by waterboarding him.  He also admitted to authorizing waterboarding for other "senior al Qaeda leaders."

For Immediate Release:
October 25, 2010

Contact:    Alanna Sobel, alanna@rabinowitz-dorf.com, (202) 265-3000
                 Rev. Richard Killmer, (207) 450-7242

National Religious Campaign Against Torture Calls for a Full Investigation into Detainee Abuse Claims

In light of new evidence uncovered in files released by the Wikileaks organization, Rev. Richard L. Killmer, Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture released the following statement:

"Unless and until the United States Government conducts a full-blown investigation into the treatment of post-9/11 detainees, including the use of torture by U.S. officials and the apparent acquiescence in the use of torture by Iraq and other countries, the United States will fail to live up to its most cherished values.  There is no excuse for not conducting such an investigation -- no matter how desperate the economic times, no matter how partisan the political landscape. This is not a matter we can ignore.  We must uncover the truth, make it public, and vow to do everything we can to put an end to U.S.-sponsored torture once and for all."