The Torturer's Dilemma: Analyzing the Logic of Torture for Information
The Torturer's Dilemma: Analyzing the Logic of Torture for Information
The Torturer's Dilemma: Analyzing the Logic of Torture for Information
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to supply <strong>the</strong> French with much needed in<strong>for</strong>mation. <strong>The</strong>se sources tended to be those who had been<br />
betrayed in some way by <strong>the</strong> FLN - <strong>for</strong> example, 'Ourhia la Brune' had turned to <strong>the</strong> French after her<br />
husband, an FLN militant, left her <strong>for</strong> ano<strong>the</strong>r woman - while o<strong>the</strong>rs had been turned after being<br />
captured – <strong>the</strong> most crucial <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se being <strong>the</strong> <strong>for</strong>mer chiefs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> eastern and western sections <strong>of</strong><br />
ZAA, Hani Mohammed and Gandreche Hacene (aka 'Safy le Pûr'). (Rejali, p. 484) It was <strong>the</strong>se<br />
in<strong>for</strong>mants who <strong>of</strong>fered <strong>the</strong> Forces <strong>of</strong> Order <strong>the</strong> greatest leverage against <strong>the</strong> FLN, and <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
contributions to <strong>the</strong> French success in <strong>the</strong> Battle cannot be overestimated. On August 26 th , thanks to<br />
in<strong>for</strong>mation provided by <strong>the</strong> GRE, two FLN members, 'Mourad' and 'Kamel' – Yacef's bomb-squad<br />
chief and his deputy – were cornered and killed after opening fire on <strong>the</strong> surrounding paratroopers. <strong>The</strong><br />
October 8 th death <strong>of</strong> Ali la Pointe (Yacef's right-hand man) came as a result <strong>of</strong> in<strong>for</strong>mation given by<br />
'Safy' – although <strong>the</strong> explosion that killed Ali and his compatriots also killed 17 innocent neighbors.<br />
<strong>The</strong> GRE was also responsible <strong>for</strong> locating Yacef's final hiding place at No. 3 Rue Caton, although this<br />
in<strong>for</strong>mation would not be acted upon until September 24 th . <strong>The</strong> reason <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> delay is instructive:<br />
while <strong>the</strong> GRE had in<strong>for</strong>med <strong>the</strong> DPU <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hideout's location, <strong>the</strong>y were also being given in<strong>for</strong>mation<br />
from <strong>the</strong> owner <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> flat, who was posing as an in<strong>for</strong>mant to lead <strong>the</strong>m <strong>of</strong>f <strong>the</strong> trail. (Horne, p. 216)<br />
In fact, <strong>the</strong> French only moved on Rue Caton after having <strong>the</strong>ir suspicions confirmed via torture – a<br />
dangerous indication that <strong>the</strong> in<strong>for</strong>mation educed through torture was given equal (or greater) weight<br />
than uncoerced sources.<br />
<strong>The</strong> apparent preference among <strong>the</strong> French <strong>for</strong> coerced over non-coerced in<strong>for</strong>mation is<br />
particularly ironic, since in a strict sense nei<strong>the</strong>r should be trusted at all: both captives and allies have a<br />
similar incentive to take advantage <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> in<strong>for</strong>mation asymmetry that exists by definition to benefit<br />
<strong>the</strong>mselves. But whereas <strong>the</strong> incentives <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> captive are by definition opposed to <strong>the</strong> torturer, <strong>the</strong><br />
members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> GRE had considerable reasons to aid France, even if <strong>the</strong>y were certainly not motivated<br />
by a love <strong>of</strong> l'Algérie Française. Whe<strong>the</strong>r motivated by personal revenge, political disagreement or<br />
monetary gain, <strong>the</strong> GRE had much to lose from a French loss since this would leave <strong>the</strong>m vulnerable to<br />
FLN retribution. In a sense, <strong>the</strong> GRE <strong>of</strong>fers a mirror image <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tortured captive: whereas <strong>the</strong> captive<br />
under torture is presumed to be <strong>for</strong>ced to tell <strong>the</strong> truth via pain, <strong>the</strong> members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> GRE were<br />
motivated to tell <strong>the</strong> truth by gain. In o<strong>the</strong>r words, <strong>the</strong> GRE could not be trusted, except to do what was<br />
in <strong>the</strong>ir own interests – which coincided considerably wth <strong>the</strong> larrger interests <strong>of</strong> France. In fact, this<br />
commonality <strong>of</strong> interest would lead to <strong>the</strong> greatest French intelligence success in <strong>the</strong> whole <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> war -<br />
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