Brussels
A draft report published by the European Parliament says that European governments were aware of American secret jails on European Territory.
The author of the report that deals with the CIA activities and renditions, Mr. Claudio Fava, says that European governments cooperated, some actively and some passively, with the CIA. This echo's accusations by the human rights body of the European Council that European governments helped American rights abuses during the United States so-called "war on terrorism".
According to the report, 1,245 flights into European space took place - or as stopovers - at European airports.
The report calls on European governments to start their own investigations in regard to accusations that their national security services have been involved in violation of European Union human rights laws.
The report names and shames eleven E.U. countries: Britain, Poland, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus for having knowledge of American secret measures taking place on European territory.
In regard to Poland, the committee says, that it obtained "serious circumstantial evidence" showing that the Poles might have hosted a temporary detention centre for the CIA.
The report of the European Parliament says that it has "serious concern" over what the report says are eleven stopovers at Polish airports by aircraft that have been operated by the CIA.
The focus is on activities that took place at Szymany airport that is close to the site that is rumored to be a "black site" where detainees were held.
Also, Britain's role in the American "torture flights" was condemned in the report, saying that Britain knew about the practice known as " extraordinary renditions", but made attempts to obstruct investigations into it.
The European Parliament criticized European Union official among them Mr. Javier Solana the EU foreign policy chief and Mr. Gijs de Vries, the counter -terrorism coordinator for their lack of cooperation with the Parliaments committee as well as Mr. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, NATO's secretary general for refusing to give evidence.
Human rights groups have said that the report by the European Parliament has moved into the political territory by raising questions about complicit governments and dishonest officials.
Furthermore, the German daily "tageszeitung" reported on November 30, that the CIA had already, before September 11, kidnapped and detained in secret locations suspected members of Al-Qaida.
According to the daily, such events took place during the war in Bosnia (1992-1995). The paper is quoting a secret document that details a meeting in Washington between high ranking European Union officials and CIA agents and was attended also by Mr. John Bellinger, the legal adviser of the American State Department.
According to this classified document, the secret services of Germany, France, Italy and East European countries worked closely together in this affair.
Until now, no government of the European Union member states have admitted openly, that American anti-terror operations have taken place on their territory.
Israel Rafalovich
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report
Please also see:
Gates: Comments from Former CIA Analysts
Former CIA director Robert Gates' confirmation hearing is scheduled for Tuesday. Several articles on Gates, featuring in-depth information about his background and suggested questions, are at Consortium News. http://www.consortiumnews.com
(MORE)
http://www.accuracy.org/newsrelease.php?articleId=1402
A draft report published by the European Parliament says that European governments were aware of American secret jails on European Territory.
The author of the report that deals with the CIA activities and renditions, Mr. Claudio Fava, says that European governments cooperated, some actively and some passively, with the CIA. This echo's accusations by the human rights body of the European Council that European governments helped American rights abuses during the United States so-called "war on terrorism".
According to the report, 1,245 flights into European space took place - or as stopovers - at European airports.
The report calls on European governments to start their own investigations in regard to accusations that their national security services have been involved in violation of European Union human rights laws.
The report names and shames eleven E.U. countries: Britain, Poland, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus for having knowledge of American secret measures taking place on European territory.
In regard to Poland, the committee says, that it obtained "serious circumstantial evidence" showing that the Poles might have hosted a temporary detention centre for the CIA.
The report of the European Parliament says that it has "serious concern" over what the report says are eleven stopovers at Polish airports by aircraft that have been operated by the CIA.
The focus is on activities that took place at Szymany airport that is close to the site that is rumored to be a "black site" where detainees were held.
Also, Britain's role in the American "torture flights" was condemned in the report, saying that Britain knew about the practice known as " extraordinary renditions", but made attempts to obstruct investigations into it.
The European Parliament criticized European Union official among them Mr. Javier Solana the EU foreign policy chief and Mr. Gijs de Vries, the counter -terrorism coordinator for their lack of cooperation with the Parliaments committee as well as Mr. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, NATO's secretary general for refusing to give evidence.
Human rights groups have said that the report by the European Parliament has moved into the political territory by raising questions about complicit governments and dishonest officials.
Furthermore, the German daily "tageszeitung" reported on November 30, that the CIA had already, before September 11, kidnapped and detained in secret locations suspected members of Al-Qaida.
According to the daily, such events took place during the war in Bosnia (1992-1995). The paper is quoting a secret document that details a meeting in Washington between high ranking European Union officials and CIA agents and was attended also by Mr. John Bellinger, the legal adviser of the American State Department.
According to this classified document, the secret services of Germany, France, Italy and East European countries worked closely together in this affair.
Until now, no government of the European Union member states have admitted openly, that American anti-terror operations have taken place on their territory.
Israel Rafalovich
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report
Please also see:
Gates: Comments from Former CIA Analysts
Former CIA director Robert Gates' confirmation hearing is scheduled for Tuesday. Several articles on Gates, featuring in-depth information about his background and suggested questions, are at Consortium News. http://www.consortiumnews.com
(MORE)
http://www.accuracy.org/newsrelease.php?articleId=1402