Can U.S. Officials Torture Terrorists?

March 4 -- Now that the man believed to be al Qaeda's top strategist has been captured, U.S. agents trying to learn what is next in the terrorist organization's playbook have an array of interrogation techniques at their disposal — but torture is not among them.

Khalid Shaikh Mohammed is believed to have planned the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and is blamed in other attacks that have killed at least 3,478 people over 10 years. In addition to 9/11, he is thought to have plotted the bombings of the USS Cole in Yemen, two U.S. embassies in Africa, a synagogue in Tunisia and a disco in Bali. His nephew planned the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.

Initially, Mohammed refused to tell interrogators anything about future planned attacks, instead reciting the Koran to himself, U.S. officials told ABCNEWS. But officials now say Mohammed has begun giving out some information about new attacks in the planning stages — although it's not clear if he is being truthful.

According to Pakistani and U.S. officials, Mohammed became more inclined to cooperate after three days of unspecified rough treatment by Pakistani interrogators.

The capture of Mohammed has forced American officials to re-examine the United States' position on torture and whether such measures might be used to get him to talk about the al Qaeda terrorist network and its leader, Osama bin Laden.

Specifics of prisoner treatment are secret, but an intelligence official speaking to Congress said there was "before 9/11 and after 9/11 and after after,the gloves came off."

No Truth Serum, No Death Threats

Former CIA counterterrorism specialist Phil Giraldi said the United States permits CIA and FBI interrogators to use some unconventional procedures as they try to get inside a prisoner's head. Sleep deprivation, threats of torture and other techniques intended to confuse, frighten or wear down a captive can be used to an extent, Giraldi said.

Human rights advocates say there are limitations in both international and U.S. law when it comes to preventing prisoners from being tortured.