US Judge orders hearing on CIA interrogation tapes

The Bush administration must answer questions about the destruction of CIA interrogation videos of two al-Qaida suspects, a federal judge said, rejecting the government's efforts to keep the courts out of the investigation. US District Judge Henry H. Kennedy on Tuesday ordered Justice Department lawyers to appear before him Friday at 11 a.m. (1600 GMT) to discuss whether destroying the tapes, which showed two al-Qaida suspects being questioned, violated a court order. The Justice Department has urged Congress and the courts to back off, saying its investigators need time to complete their inquiry. Government attorneys say the courts do not have the authority to get involved in the matter and could jeopardize the case.