Terry Strada, a New Jersey native whose husband Tom Strada was killed in the 9/11 terror attacks, was confounded at Senate Democrats’ decision to release a report on CIA 'torture' when, she said, "torture was watching what happened on 9/11."
"What torture was--torture is watching what happened on 9/11, watching people jump out of the buildings to save themselves, to die as opposed to being burned to death or smoke… I had to listen to my husband on the phone when he called me that morning. Torture is telling your children that their father was killed by terrorists on American soil and our government isn't standing by our side to help us go after the people that caused it," Strada told CNN's Carol Costello on Thursday.
"So I live in a tortured environment, and I don't think pouring water up their nose or making them walk around naked...it doesn't matter to me."
Strada, who has actively supported the Justice Against Supporters of Terrorism Act, said she was frustrated that the Senate has refused to declassify a report containing information leading up to the 9/11 attacks—information Strada says would help give closure for her and her fatherless children.
"Who funded 9/11? Who was behind 9/11? Why am I living without a husband? Why are my children living without a father? We don't address that. We want to talk about what techniques we've used," Strada said.
"I'm sorry, until we go back and find out and let the American people know who was behind 9/11, I don't think we're ever going to be safe. I don't think we're ever going to win our war."
Strada said the release of the Senate Intelligence Committee report was upsetting and a distraction from answering the real questions about what led to the 9/11 attacks.
She vowed to keep fighting to encourage Congress to declassify the intelligence report.
"I don't know if you can imagine being home and this place evaporating in one day, and everybody you know and love is gone. You would stand up and fight, too, for the rest of your life until you get the truth out there," Strada said. "My daughter is here. I fight for her. I fight for my kids."