Guest guest Posted June 7, 2006 Report Share Posted June 7, 2006 Seven European States Aided Illegal CIA Flights (Update2) June 7 (Bloomberg) -- Seven European states cooperated with illegal air transfers of terrorist suspects by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, the Council of Europe said in a report today. Authorities in the U.K., Italy, Germany, Sweden, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Turkey could be held responsible for violation of prisoners' rights to ``varying degrees,'' the council said in a press release. Several other countries colluded ``actively or passively,'' the release said. The 46-nation council released the 67-page report by lead investigator Dick Marty of Switzerland. The report says that landing points in Romania and Poland were used by the CIA as alleged members of the al-Qaeda terrorist network were taken to secret detention centers, the release said. Marty used ``evidence from national and international air traffic control authorities, as well as sources inside intelligence services, including in the United States'' to compile the report, the council said. ``Even if proof, in the classical meaning of the term, is not as yet available, a number of coherent and converging elements indicate that such secret detention centers did indeed exist in Europe,'' the release said. ``It's now clear that authorities in several European countries have participated with the CIA in these unlawful activities.'' The rendition program formed a global ``spider's web'' of CIA detention centers and transfers, according to the report. It was composed of several landing points, which were linked up among themselves by civilian planes used by the CIA or by military aircraft, after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the U.S. `Collusion' The network, which Marty calls ``reprehensible,'' was able to be set up and spread through the continent only thanks to the ``intentional or grossly negligent collusion'' of the U.S. government's European partners. ``The impression which some governments tried to create at the beginning of this debate -- that Europe was a victim of secret CIA plots -- doesn't seem to correspond to reality,'' Marty wrote in the report. ``Several European countries actively participated with the CIA in these unlawful activities.'' His report is due to be debated by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg on June 27. The landing points were used for various purposes, including aircraft stopovers to refuel. They were connected to known detention centers based in Guantanamo Bay, Kabul or Baghdad, the report said. The two landing points in Romania and Poland, which didn't host logistical flights, may have been dropoff points that were near to secret detention canters, the report said. There are only four legal ways for members of the Council of Europe to transfer a prisoner to foreign authorities: deportation, extradition, transit and transfer of a sentenced person. Prisoners must be provided appropriate legal guarantees and access to competent authorities. The Council of Europe, based in Strasbourg, France, advocates respect for human rights and respect for the law. To contact the reporter on this story: Gabriele Parussini in Paris at gparussini. Last Updated: June 7, 2006 08:06 EDT I don't wanna be no war hero Don't want a movie made about me I don't wanna be no war hero Just get away from the madness I see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 7, 2006 Report Share Posted June 7, 2006 Liberty the human rights charity are doing a demo against this in London. Can post info if it's not considered too off-topic - but then considering the recent Lennon stuff... will post in a second.... On Behalf Of fraggle 07 June 2006 16:43 TFHB ; spreading the pain Seven European States Aided Illegal CIA Flights (Update2) June 7 (Bloomberg) -- Seven European states cooperated with illegal air transfers of terrorist suspects by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, the Council of Europe said in a report today. Authorities in the U.K., Italy, Germany, Sweden, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Turkey could be held responsible for violation of prisoners' rights to ``varying degrees,'' the council said in a press release. Several other countries colluded ``actively or passively,'' the release said. The 46-nation council released the 67-page report by lead investigator Dick Marty of Switzerland. The report says that landing points in Romania and Poland were used by the CIA as alleged members of the al-Qaeda terrorist network were taken to secret detention centers, the release said. Marty used ``evidence from national and international air traffic control authorities, as well as sources inside intelligence services, including in the United States'' to compile the report, the council said. ``Even if proof, in the classical meaning of the term, is not as yet available, a number of coherent and converging elements indicate that such secret detention centers did indeed exist in Europe,'' the release said. ``It's now clear that authorities in several European countries have participated with the CIA in these unlawful activities.'' The rendition program formed a global ``spider's web'' of CIA detention centers and transfers, according to the report. It was composed of several landing points, which were linked up among themselves by civilian planes used by the CIA or by military aircraft, after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the U.S. `Collusion' The network, which Marty calls ``reprehensible,'' was able to be set up and spread through the continent only thanks to the ``intentional or grossly negligent collusion'' of the U.S. government's European partners. ``The impression which some governments tried to create at the beginning of this debate -- that Europe was a victim of secret CIA plots -- doesn't seem to correspond to reality,'' Marty wrote in the report. ``Several European countries actively participated with the CIA in these unlawful activities.'' His report is due to be debated by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg on June 27. The landing points were used for various purposes, including aircraft stopovers to refuel. They were connected to known detention centers based in Guantanamo Bay, Kabul or Baghdad, the report said. The two landing points in Romania and Poland, which didn't host logistical flights, may have been dropoff points that were near to secret detention canters, the report said. There are only four legal ways for members of the Council of Europe to transfer a prisoner to foreign authorities: deportation, extradition, transit and transfer of a sentenced person. Prisoners must be provided appropriate legal guarantees and access to competent authorities. The Council of Europe, based in Strasbourg, France, advocates respect for human rights and respect for the law. To contact the reporter on this story: Gabriele Parussini in Paris at gparussini. Last Updated: June 7, 2006 08:06 EDT I don't wanna be no war hero Don't want a movie made about me I don't wanna be no war hero Just get away from the madness I see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 7, 2006 Report Share Posted June 7, 2006 Hi Michael >Liberty the human rights charity are doing a demo against this in London.>Can post info if it's not considered too off-topic - but then considering>the recent Lennon stuff... will post in a second.... Please do... nothing's considered off topic here :-) BB Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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