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| Europe |
| Anger grows in Europe over CIA abductions |
| 2005-12-05 |
| CONDOLEEZZA RICE, the US Secretary of State, will try to dismiss mounting concern over alleged CIA human rights abuses in Europe when she embarks on a four-day tour of the Continent today. Allegations have been multiplying almost daily that the CIA has operated secret prisons in Eastern Europe and covertly abducted and transported alleged terrorists through Europe. The claims have provoked demands for a response from the US Government. It is alleged that the CIA runs a secret global abduction and internment operation of suspected terrorists, known as âextraordinary renditionâ, which since 2001 has captured about 3,000 people and transported them around the world. Dr Rice will give a robust defence of Americaâs actions in response to terrorism. She will tell European leaders that the US does not fly prisoners around the world to be tortured, and that it has respected the sovereignty of all the countries that it has dealt with. The US Government has so far refused to comment, insisting that it is a matter for national security, which has only fuelled speculation. During the trip to Germany, Belgium, Romania and the Ukraine, Dr Rice is expected to give a formal response to an official request by Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, on behalf of EU governments, that the US answer the allegations. Stephen Hadley, President Bushâs National Security Adviser, told Fox News yesterday: âShe is going to be addressing these issues in a comprehensive way. One of the things she will be saying is âlook, we are all threatened by terror. We need to co-operate on its solutionâ. âAs part of that co-operation, for our part, we comply with US law. We respect the sovereignty of the countries with which we deal and we do not move people around the world so that they can be tortured.â Mr Hadley told CNN that Dr Rice would not comment on specific CIA operations. âObviously if there are these types of intelligence operation going on, they are the kinds of thing that one cannot talk about. Why? Because the information would help the enemy.â About a dozen European governments have launched internal investigations into allegations that the CIA used their airports covertly to move terrorist suspects around the world, including to and from the US detention centre at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Der Spiegel reports that the CIA has made 437 flights through German airspace â some using German airports â in the past two years. The CIA is alleged to have made secret flights through Britain, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Denmark, the Irish Republic and other EU countries. Eight European governments have demanded a response from the US. The Council of Europe, an intergovernmental human rights group, has begun an investigation. Legal advice sought by an all-party parliamentary group, which meets for the first time today, concluded that the British Government would be guilty of breaking international law if it allowed secret flights to use UK airports, it was reported last night. Academics from New York University said: âA state which aids or assists another state in the commission of an internationally wrongful act by the latter is internationally responsible for doing so.â The British Government has insisted that there is nothing wrong with the CIA flying planes through British airspace, and admits that it does not know or ask whether there are any prisoners on the flights. According to The Washington Post, the US Government has pressed Berlin not to complain about the CIAâs wrongful alleged kidnapping and imprisonment of Khaled Masri, a German who says he was abducted in Macedonia and tortured at a US base in Afghanistan. Despite the controversy, the US State Department believes that there is little appetite among European governments to take on the US over its tactics in the war on terror. FLIGHTS UNDER SCRUTINY Germany 437 CIA flights landed or crossed airspace, according to Der Spiegel France 2 jets carrying suspects to Guantanamo Bay apparently used airports Britain 210 flights alleged to have used British airports Portugal 34 CIA flights reported landed; has asked for clarification from US Italy 17 secret CIA flights landed between July 2002 and May 2005, according to Corriere della Sera Spain 10 CIA flights alleged to have landed in Tenerife and Majorca Iceland 67 CIA flights alleged to have landed since 2001; has demanded an explanation from US |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #10 Time for NATO to disperse. We are not in the business of providing protection for ankle-biting pussies |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-12-05 21:59 |
| #9 MORE FUD |
| Posted by: 3dc 2005-12-05 21:23 |
| #8 The Left > "CIA Abuses" > unconfirmed acts of TORTURE automat = #'s of CIA AIRCRAFT FLIGHTS; just as "WMDS" = "NUKES", but not Sarin, Mustard Gas, BioWar, or a few tons of enriched uranium, and even though the Lefties don't say the term "NUKES" on the MSM. AS PER USUAL, ITS THE VOTER'S/MAINSTREAM'S FAULT THE LEFTIES DIDN'T AND DON'T AND WON'T USE THE TERM "NUKES" - you know, REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY and anti-propanganda Secular Moralism. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2005-12-05 20:27 |
| #7 Anger that we can't ship the buggers faster! People in Europe know I-Slam. Of course the headline should be "Anger grows amongst self proclaimed elite in Europe over CIA abductions". |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2005-12-05 16:54 |
| #6 Secretary Rice before leaving this morning: -- We cannot discuss information that would compromise the success of intelligence, law enforcement, and military operations. We expect that other nations share this view. Some governments choose to cooperate with the United States in intelligence, law enforcement, or military matters. That cooperation is a two-way street. We share intelligence that has helped protect European countries from attack, helping save European lives. It is up to those governments and their citizens to decide if they wish to work with us to prevent terrorist attacks against their own country or other countries, and decide how much sensitive information they can make public. They have a sovereign right to make that choice. Debate in and among democracies is natural and healthy. I hope that that debate also includes a healthy regard for the responsibilities of governments to protect their citizens. http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2005/57602.htm (long article but very clear) |
| Posted by: SwissTex 2005-12-05 13:06 |
| #5 Why set up prisons in Eastern Europe when the threat of sending them to Israel would get the job done and the Israeli's would be willing to help. Doesn't make sense. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2005-12-05 10:14 |
| #4 I still call bullshit. Prove it you socialsit dicks. "Un-named sources" ain't proof. Names, locations, documents (real, not fake) and photos. Otherwise, we will sit by and watch your coming takeover by the Islamists with glee, then nuke your asses. |
| Posted by: mmurray821 2005-12-05 10:04 |
| #3 The article quotes CNN and Der Spiegel. Like either of those two news groups are relavent anymore. The list of countries is interesting though. I think what it really reveals is that publicly all those countries chant aint US crap. Behind closed doors they are supporting our war, or at least at the operational level they are. |
| Posted by: 49 pan 2005-12-05 09:17 |
| #2 Hello Hans, you angry enough to keep your BMWs out of those dirty American hands? I know I am more than angry enough to place 100% tariffs on German, French, etc. imports. The next time an attack on the US is launched from Hamburg, then the USAF should revisit Hamburg 1944. US troops and trade out of the Weasels. Keep those billions and factories at home. Consider it Americas Kyoto gift to you assholes. |
| Posted by: ed 2005-12-05 09:08 |
| #1 there is little appetite among European governments to take on the US over its tactics in the war on terror There is that one judge in Spain however. |
| Posted by: Rafael 2005-12-05 06:33 |