James Cotsana

James Cotsana is a security consultant, and former official of the Central Intelligence Agency whose testimony has been sought over how the CIA authorized, and implemented the clandestine use of torture, in its network of secret interrogation sites, commonly known as "black sites".

Prior to joining the CIA Cotsana served as an infantry officer. He saw wartime service during the War in Vietnam. Cotsana spent 26 years in the CIA's "Directorate of Operations", the division that runs clandestine human sources, and covert paramilitary operations.

In October 2012, Cotsana delivered a lecture to the Maine chapter of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers. A poster advertising the talk said its topic was to be "the truth behind CIA's detention and interrogation program". The poster stated: