Music torture in the war on terror

Common card · No. 248843

Music was used to torture detainees held by the United States during the war on terror. Interrogators opted to use heavy metal, country, and rap music, as well as music from children's TV shows. The practice was widespread and officially approved, being used in Guantanamo Bay detention camp, Camp Cropper, and several other American detainee camps. Music as an instrument of torture originated in psychological research from the 1950s and Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape training, and the tactic was officially approved by several prominent US Army officials. Music was used to make detainees feel hopeless and make them cooperate with interrogators, and it was sometimes combined with other abusive practices like stress positions and temperature manipulation. Music has been used against several notable detainees, including Mohammed al-Qahtani, Mohamedou Ould Slahi, Shaker Aamer, Ruhal Ahmed, Shafiq Rasul, Binyam Mohamed, Donald Vance, Abu Zubaydah, and Moazzam Begg. The American Civil...

Read on Wikipedia