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Washington: The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which had put together a team of operations officers, polygraphers and psychiatrists to interrogate al-Qaeda prisoners, is expected to use similar techniques to interrogate a "resigned but co-operative" Saddam Hussein.

The Agency knows "what buttons to push" and it has an extensive list of questions, backed up by what is known to be true about each subject area, 'The Washington Post' reported quoting Government sources.

The CIA interrogators will be joined by debriefers from the Defence Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents who recently arrived in Iraq, mainly to aid in bombing and other crime scene investigations.

Other reports said US techniques of breaking down resistance includes sleep deprivation and disorienting him in surroundings which make him feel he is in another country.

The interrogation of the deposed Iraqi President, who was captured from a "spider hole" near Tikrit in Iraq on Sunday (Dec 14), offers the US a tremendous opportunity and challenge, officials said.

US officials hope to extract information to help them defeat insurgents in Iraq. A document found when Hussein was captured has already proved "useful", they added.

The questioners will also focus on broader concerns such as whether Hussein has information on international terrorist organisations.

PTI

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