Before we all go nuts and start retreating to our comfortable ideological corners about torture and the rules of war, let me just say that Smith makes a valid argument on at least one level: the Red Hot Chili Peppers are awesome. So, it’s kind of a privilege for terrorists to get to listen to their music. Justin Bieber’s Greatest Hits, on the other hand…now THAT would be extreme torture.

Here’s how bassist Flea responded to the story on Twitter:

It is absolutely heartbreaking to hear Rhcp music has been used by the CIA to torture human beings. Anything we can do to stop that we will

— Flea (@flea333) April 12, 2014

Anyway, here’s how Al Jazeera America described the Senate Intelligence Committee’s report on the CIA’s techniques:

The report allegedly says that Abu Zubaydah was stuffed into a pet crate (the type used to transport dogs on airplanes) over the course of two weeks and routinely passed out, was shackled by his wrists to the ceiling of his cell and subjected to an endless loop of loud music. One former interrogator briefed about Abu Zubaydah’s interrogations from May to July 2002 told Al Jazeera that the music used to batter the detainee’s senses was by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.