Osama bin Laden's death breathed new life into the "torture" debate, as evidence now suggests that Bush-era interrogation techniques led to the finding of the Al Qaeda leader. 

The Tribune Washington Bureau reported that an "Al Qaeda suspect who was under harsh interrogation at a secret prison" provided the identity of Osama bin Laden's courier who unwittingly gave away the location of his compound.

Contrast that fact with the statement made by Senator Feinstein, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, in a press conference on Tuesday (as reported by Talking Points Memo):

More and more evidence suggests a key piece of intelligence -- the first link in the chain of information that led U.S. intelligence officials to Osama bin Laden -- wasn't tortured out of its source. And, indeed, that torture actually failed to produce it.

"To the best of our knowledge, based on a look, none of it came as a result of harsh interrogation practices," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee in a wide-ranging press conference.

Moreover, Feinstein added, nothing about the sequence of events that culminated in Sunday's raid vindicates the Bush-era techniques, nor their use of black sites -- secret prisons, operated by the CIA.

Secret prisons and harsh interrogation practices didn't lead to the discovery of bin Laden's hideout? Here's what the Tribune Company reported:

An Al Qaeda suspect who was subjected to harsh interrogation techniques at a secret CIA prison in early 2004 provided a clue, the nom de guerre of a mysterious courier, that ultimately proved crucial to finding Osama bin Laden, officials said Wednesday.

Feinstein's statement is the complete reverse of what the parent company of the Los Angeles Times reported. Remember, she chairs the Intelligence Committee, so she's either falling asleep on the job or she lied.