An official has confirmed the US used waterboarding in terror interrogations in what is the Bush administration's most blatant confession.

In an interview with National Journal magazine, former Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte said, "It (waterboarding) wasn't used when I was director of national intelligence, nor even a few years before that. I get concerned that we're too retrospective and tend to look in the rearview mirror too often at things that happened four or even six years ago."

Negroponte's remarks appear to confirm earlier reports that the CIA discontinued waterboarding in 2003, after using it on three "high-value" detainees.

US officials have been reluctant to acknowledge the CIA's use of the simulated drowning technique, which human rights groups call torture.

Vice President Dick Cheney once suggested waterboarding was "an important tool" used to interrogate Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

Meanwhile, Bush has regularly insisted that the US does not torture but has declined to discuss what interrogation techniques are used.

The CIA declined comment on Negroponte's remarks.

AGB/BGH