Torture on agenda for US debate

The refusal by terrorist suspects arrested in the United States to answer questions under FBI interrogation is provoking a debate about whether torture should be used.

In the seven weeks since the attacks on the US, law enforcement agencies have arrested more than 1,000 people in the search for clues.

Many are guilty of no more than being illegal immigrants, but about six men are thought to have vital information about how the 11 September attacks were carried out.

The men refusing to cooperate include two pulled from a train in St Louis, armed with knives, who may have been planning to hijack a fifth plane on 11 September, and several others who had maps of a Detroit airport. More recently, a man was arrested in connection with anthrax-laced letters posted in New Jersey.

Police interrogators can do little more than read suspects their rights and hope to cut a deal over charges and prison sentences. In its desperation, the FBI is reported to be considering deporting suspects to Saudi Arabia, where questioning methods are less scrupulous and the ultimate penalty is beheading with a sword.

Several commentators are now calling for more robust methods to get to the truth. Speaking on CNN, conservative commentator Tucker Carlson said: "Torture is bad. Keep in mind, some things are worse. And under certain circumstances it may be the lesser of two evils.''