Attorney general nominee unsure about legality of waterboarding

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Senator Patrick Leahy says he concerned that President Bush’s nominee for attorney general won’t state unequivocally that “waterboarding” is illegal.

In a letter to senators worried about his views on torture, retired federal judge Michael Mukasey calls the use of simulated drowning "repugnant,” but he doesn’t know if it’s illegal

Mukasey says he’ll have to study its legality once he’s in office.

Mukasey says he doesn’t know if waterboarding is still being used and won’t until he gets security clearance to look into the issue.

Mukasey says if after a review he finds any interrogation technique is "unlawful,” he wouldn’t hesitate to tell the president.

The military has banned the practice.

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