in december 2002, mora received word from david brant, director of the naval criminal investigative service (ncis), that ncis agents at the naval base at guantánamo bay, cuba had learned that detainees being held there were being subjected to "physical abuse and degrading treatment" by members of the joint task force 170 (jtf-170), and that authorization for this treatment had come from "a 'high level' in washington". mora reports that he was "disturbed" and felt he had to learn more.