The children’s cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants is being used as part of an art installation to protest against water-boarding.

Water-boarding is an interrogation technique used by the military in wars and in Guantanamo Bay, the US has admitted to this. The terrorism suspect is drenched in water to simulate drowning.

‘The Water-boarding Thrill Ride’ by artist Steve Powers has been installed at Coney Island theme park in New York, America.

For $1 (£0.50) visitors get to look through a barred window and see a Guantanamo-like interrogation, enacted by animated robots.

A sign on the outside shows SpongeBob saying "It don't Gitmo better!" - a reference to Guantanamo Bay - as another character pours water over him.

A hooded figure leans over a man in an orange jumpsuit, whose face is covered with a towel and his body tethered to a tilted plane.

Lights then come on and water pours into the man's nose and mouth, producing convulsions for 15 seconds.

"Robot water-boarding became a way of exploring the issue without doing any harm," Steve Powers told The New York Times.

"It's putting a unique experience on the table. And it doesn't take a great leap of the imagination to look in there and say: 'That's really what's going on? That's crazy.'"

Marion Tracey, 57, from New Jersey, said she found the installation disturbing and made her think of her father who had nightmares after returning from World War II.

"In all wars, horrible things happen - I'd rather not see it," she said.

Alex Soto, 23, said he thought it was a good thing for people to learn about water-boarding, but added: "It is pretty twisted."

Powers says he plans to subject himself to water-boarding by a professional trained in interrogation techniques later this month.

The installation will then be moved to Manhattan's Park Avenue Armoury.

What are your views on this interrogation technique used by the US military? Is it torture?