BBC News
Many EU nations were aware that the CIA used their territory for the transfer or detention of terror suspects, a draft European parliament report says.
The report follows months of investigation by a special committee of MEPs led by an Italian, Claudio Fava.
"Many governments co-operated passively or actively (with the CIA)," said Mr. Fava, quoted by AFP news agency.
He accused top EU officials including foreign policy chief Javier Solana of failing to give full details to MEPs.
The report echoed allegations made in June by the Council of Europe - Europe's leading human rights watchdog - that European states were complicit in illegal CIA operations as part of the US-led "war on terror".
US President George W Bush admitted in September that the CIA had used prisons abroad for the secret detention of terror suspects, but he did not specify where the prisons were.
He insisted the suspects had not been tortured.
EU "Informed"
The draft report says several EU governments were aware of the CIA's secret detention and transfer of terror suspects.
It further accuses governments and top EU officials of failing to co-operate fully with the European parliament's investigation.
Mr. Solana's evidence to the inquiry contained "omissions and denials", the draft report says.
And EU anti-terror coordinator Gijs de Vries was also criticised over evidence he had given.
Mr. Fava's report singled out the governments of Poland and Romania of failing to co-operate with the investigation.
Both countries have strongly denied media reports that they tolerated secret CIA detention centres on their territory.
The report says the US government had first informed EU member states in 2005 that it was using their territory to transfer terror suspects.
Over the course of three meetings with EU officials, "the Americans spoke in an explicit manner about the transfer system as a method in the fight against terrorism", Mr. Fava told AFP.
Investigations Urged
The report speaks of at least 18 suspected CIA "extraordinary renditions" of terror suspects - the term used for transfers to third countries for interrogation.
They included the cases of a German, Khaled el-Masri - allegedly abducted in Macedonia and then detained in Afghanistan - and Egyptian former imam Abu Omar, allegedly kidnapped by CIA agents in Milan.
On Tuesday, a US court began to hear an appeal from Mr. Masri after he lost an earlier lawsuit demanding damages and an apology from the US government.
Mr. Fava cited at least 1,245 overflights or stopovers by CIA planes in Europe - some of which he said were probably prisoner transfers.
His investigation was launched after press reports last year claiming the US operated secret prisons in some EU states and had used others as staging posts to transfer terror suspects.
The draft report urges the countries named within it to launch their own investigations into whether they violated EU human rights law, the Associated Press news agency says.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/112806S.shtml
4 comments:
Mr. Fava needs a food tester.
Poland and Romania probably paid off.
This administration has done so much to damage our foreign relations. And isn't the Gerbil headed back overseas?
Any doughnuts in this joint? ;)
Never mind the doughnuts look else where. Go back to work and stick it to Libby/Rove/Cheney.
Look the EU has been lying for a while now all the evidence was out there. This will only lead to future problems in all countries working together not to torture. Bush has allow the law to be broken and we paid small countries to not tell. Every country that committed crimes for the United States was paid for it. This weakens the UN and gives countries like Russia/China grounds to do what they want. Look even Iran/Syria are taking advantage of the crimes the Bush Administration has done. When Iran/Syria start looking good you know the US is finished.
"And isn't the Gerbil headed back overseas?"
Yes, he is. And it ain't a lovefest for him overseas. Yes, he has damaged foreign relations and our national security.
Fitz:
No donuts in this joint. Nothing but bagels. Get back to work and nail the gnome!
And yup EU have been lying all of along.. We are certainly an embarrassment thanks to the Gerbil and company.
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