The US Justice Department has dropped nearly all the probes into CIA agents over alleged abusive interrogation techniques, and will instead focus on the deaths of two detainees, Attorney General Eric Holder said Thursday.
"The department has determined that an expanded criminal investigation of the remaining matters is not warranted," Holder said in a statement.
Holder had in 2009 directed assistant US attorney John Durham to review the CIA interrogations of over 100 detainees at secret sites overseas to determine whether any laws were broken.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
"Durham and his team reviewed a tremendous volume of information pertaining to the detainees... I have accepted his recommendation to conduct a full criminal investigation regarding the death in custody of two individuals," Holder added.
CIA chief Leon Panetta praised the decision as he left the CIA on Thursday to take over the helm of the Pentagon from Robert Gates.
"On this, my last day as director, I welcome the news that the broader inquiries are behind us. We are now finally about to close this chapter of our agency's history," he said.
Mike Rogers, the Republican chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, also welcomed the move, saying that Holder's decision "is a significant step forward."
He added in a statement that he was "pleased" the Department of Justice "finally substantially lifted an undeserved cloud of doubt and suspicion from all of our intelligence professionals."
"Many good people were vindicated today," he said.
The investigation had been criticized from all corners when it was launched in 2009.
Rights groups argued the review did not go far enough, alleging that controversial "enhanced" interrogation techniques were widespread under the previous administration of president George W. Bush.
Members of Bush's team and Republican officials had slammed the probe, with former US vice president Dick Cheney declaring the effort an "outrageous political act."
Durham's investigation was limited to examining whether there was sufficient evidence to charge individual agents with violating the special interrogation rules they were given after 9/11.
The review examined "primarily whether any unauthorized interrogation techniques were used by CIA interrogators," and if so, whether the techniques constituted "violations of the torture statute or any other applicable statute," noted Holder.
President Barack Obama had previously made clear that CIA interrogators, who acted on the basis of legal guidelines drawn up by the Bush administration, would not face the full extent of the law.
