After witnessing the Transfiguration, the disciples are instructed to keep what they have seen to themselves for the time being. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) apparently also has been keeping information to itself. The agency admitted Monday it had destroyed 92 videotapes of harsh interrogations of Al Qaeda suspects, a much greater number than it had previously acknowledged.

The interrogations were a highly divisive issue during the Bush administration, with many Democrats and other critics saying that some methods used amounted to torture--a contention Bush and other officials rejected. A criminal prosecutor is wrapping up his investigation in the matter.

Monday's acknowledgment involved a civil lawsuit filed in New York by the American Civil Liberties Union seeking more details of the interrogation programs following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

"The CIA can now identify the number of videotapes that were destroyed," said a letter submitted in that case by Acting U.S. Attorney Lev Dassin. "Ninety-two videotapes were destroyed."

At the White House, press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters Monday he hadn't spoken to the president about the report, but called the news about the videotapes "sad" and said Obama was committed to ending torture while also protecting American values.

Source: An article by Devlin Barrett for the Associated Press