Los Angeles, Aug 10 - The US attorney general is set to order an inquiry into alleged abuses committed by CIA during the interrogation of terrorism suspects.

Democrats and opponents of the Bush administration have been demanding a probe into the methods used by the agency against terror suspects, particularly at Guantanamo Bay.

President Barack Obama has not ruled out the investigation but he has been reluctant to commit himself, fearing it will open divisions.

But quoting government officials, the Los Angeles Times said Sunday that Attorney General Eric Holder Jr is now poised to appoint a criminal prosecutor to investigate alleged CIA abuses against terrorism suspects during their interrogation.

The newspaper said the inquiry will focus on 'whether people went beyond the techniques that were authorised'.

It said cases of criminal abuse that have not previously been disclosed also include an instance in which a CIA operative brought a gun into an interrogation booth to force a detainee to talk.

Other potentially criminal abuses have already come to light, including the waterboarding of prisoners in excess of Justice Department guidelines, and the deaths of detainees in CIA custody in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2002 and 2003, according to the newspaper.

It said the attorney general has asked his staff to prepare a list to pick a special prosecutor who would examine cases that are at least five years old.