News

EC urges co-operation with Marty probe

Tuesday, 24 January 2006 22:04

The European Commission has called on European Union member states to co-operate with a Council of Europe inquiry into alleged secret CIA prisons in Europe, after an interim report into the affair.

The EU's executive made the call after the report cited convincing evidence that Washington sent detainees to third countries to be tortured. However, no 'irrefutable evidence' of the existence of secret CIA prisons was found.

The findings of the Swiss investigator, Dick Marty, were presented to the Strasbourg-based human rights organisation, the Council of Europe, this morning.

The senator was appointed to conduct his investigation following reports and revelations last year that the CIA was transporting terror suspects through European airports to countries where they may have faced torture.

His report states that he has not yet uncovered firm evidence the CIA operated such prisons in Europe but that EU governments and their spy services probably knew of a secret network of jails in Europe used by the CIA.

The US denies it sends suspects through so-called extraordinary rendition to countries which practice torture, but has not formally responded to these specific allegations.

The Council of Europe is investigating whether the CIA has operated a network of flights carrying terror suspects either to secret detention centres in Europe or to countries like Egypt, Jordan and Syria.

Last month RTÉ revealed that more than 40 flights through Shannon Airport were made by aircraft reportedly used on numerous occasions by the CIA to abduct suspects and send them abroad.

The issue has embarrassed European governments which, it is presumed, would have known through their security services if such activity were taking place.

The Government has said it received assurances from Washington that there was nothing untoward about flights through Shannon.