The top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee defied the Bush administration Sunday and pledged to investigate the destruction of CIA interrogation tapes.
"We want to hold the community accountable for what's happened with these tapes. I think we will issue subpoenas," said Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich.
The Justice Department has urged Congress not to investigate and advised intelligence officials not to cooperate with a legislative inquiry.
"You've got a community that's incompetent. They are arrogant. And they are political," Hoekstra said. "And I think that we're going to hold (CIA Director) Mike Hayden accountable."
Earlier this month, the CIA acknowledged destroying videos showing the harsh interrogation of top al-Qaida suspects.
Hayden said the videos, which were made in 2002, were destroyed in 2005 out of fear the tapes would leak and reveal the identifies of interrogators.
Hayden said the sessions were videotaped to provide an added layer of legal protection for officers using tough interrogation methods authorized by President Bush to help break down recalcitrant prisoners.
The House panel subsequently vowed to investigate, requesting documents and making plans to call several witnesses.
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