Researching rendition: Selected news stories and resources on alleged CIA prisons and transfers of suspects in Europe

U.S. Fights Redress for CIA Kidnapping "Mistake"
2006/05/15 · IPS
Khalid El-Masri, a German citizen who was on vacation in Macedonia when he was kidnapped and transported to a CIA-run "black site" in Afghanistan, then abandoned on a hill in Albania after months of confinement in squalid conditions, is seeking an apology and money damages. But arguing against a public trial, the U.S. government has invoked the "state secrets" privilege. Once rarely used, the privilege has over the past five years become a routine defence to keep cases from being tried.

Straw denies UK rendition flights
2006/02/22 · The Scotsman
The National Air Traffic Service has said there were 200 flights through British airspace by CIA planes associated with rendition in the past five years. Foreign Secretary Jack Straw insisted Britain had no knowledge of any such flights, and that he had no reason to believe they were taking place without the Government's knowledge.

Europe 'knew about' CIA flights
2006/01/24 · BBC News
European governments almost certainly knew of the CIA's secret prisoner flights, reported Dick Marty to the Council of Europe . His report said "rendition" affected over 100 people, and cited the case of Abu Omar, who was abducted, flown to Egypt and tortured. There is "a great deal of coherent, convergent evidence pointing to the existence of a system of 'outsourcing' of torture", it said. The kidnapping had also "completely destroyed" an Italian police investigation. Marty also looked into allegations of secret CIA prisons in Romania and Poland, but said there was "no irrefutable evidence".

EU countries 'knew about CIA torture flights'
2006/01/24 · The Independent
EU governments probably knew that the CIA was flying prisoners across their territory for interrogation and torture in third countries, claimed a Council of Europe report. But it found no firm evidence of secret CIA prisons. The It cites the case of Abu Omar: via military airbases in Italy and Germany, he was flown to Egypt where he was tortured before being released and re-arrested. "The Italian judicial investigation established, beyond all reasonable doubt, that the operation was carried out by the CIA." The abduction also sabotaged an Italian surveillance operation "and thereby dealt a blow to anti-terrorist action".

Alleged secret detentions in Council of Europe
2006/01/22 · PACE
It is highly unlikely that European governments, or at least their intelligence services, were unaware of the "rendition" of more than a hundred persons affecting Europe, according to Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly investigator Dick Marty, whose interim assessment was made public today in this information memorandum. Citing statements made by American officials and others, Marty said there was "a great deal of coherent, convergent evidence pointing to the existence of a system of 'relocation' or 'outsourcing' of torture".

Alleged secret detentions in Council of Europe member states - Briefing note
2006/01/19 · PACE
On 24 January 2006, Dick Marty, who is investigating allegations of secret detentions in Council of Europe member states, is due to make his interim assessment in an information memorandum to be presented to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) in Strasbourg. This briefing note outlines background information on Council of Europe action to date.

Memo stokes 'terror flights' row
2006/01/19 · BBC News
Tony Blair is facing new questions about the US using UK airports to transport terror suspects. A leaked memo from 7 December said officials had discovered two cases from 1998. But it also says: "The papers we have unearthed .. suggest there could be more such cases." The memo also advises ministers to avoid detailed questions on "rendition", and suggests that people captured by British forces in Iraq or Afghanistan could have been sent to illegal interrogation centres.

European leaders knew about CIA activities, Swiss investigator says
2006/01/16 · EU Observer
European governments have known about secret US prison camps in Europe for at least two years, according to Council of Europe investigator Dick Marty, who accused them of "shocking" passivity. "There are countries that have collaborated actively," Marty said. He is expected to submit a preliminary report to the Council of Europe and the EU on 23 January. "The question is: was the CIA really working in Europe? I believe we can say today, without a doubt, yes" Marty said, adding that Washington's policy "respects neither human rights nor the Geneva Conventions."

The CIA Affair and EU: Who Has Responsiblity?
2006/01/11 · Deutsche Welle
A Swiss newspaper says it has evidence of secret CIA prisons in Europe, and EU Justice Minister Frattini only found out about it through the media. The problem is that the EU has little legal room to search for evidence itself. "When [member states] breach the human rights conventions, then it is the province of the Council of Europe [CoE] to investigate," said Frattini's spokesman. The CoE has appointed its own investigator, and theoretically, all member states have to cooperate. Still, its General Secretary had to criticize Kosovo for denying the council's committee access to its detention centers.

Greek minister denies kidnappings
2006/01/11 · BBC News
The Greek public order minister told MPs there is no truth in claims by 28 Pakistanis that they were kidnapped for interrogation. The Pakistanis say they were detained after the London bombings, had hoods placed over their heads, and were held for up to seven days without access to a lawyer. Some also claim they were beaten. The weekly Proto Thema published what it said was the name of a British spy chief and 15 Greek agents involved in the abduction and abuse of the migrants.

Greece denies mistreating Pakistanis, admits monitoring after London attacks
2006/01/11 · Yahoo! News
Greece's public order minister denied that his services illegally abducted Pakistani immigrants after last year's London bombings. "No Greek government could resort to masks, hoods and other James Bond-style methods...because our (system) permits us to meet our goals legally," Voulgarakis told a parliamentary committee. 28 immigrants have claimed they were abducted, interrogated and mishandled. Voulgarakis did say that over 5,000 immigrants were monitored for possible links to the attacks, and over 2,000 were "legally" interrogated.

Secretary General demands Council of Europe access to all detention facilities in Kosovo
2006/01/10 · Council of Europe
“If there is nothing to hide, the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture should be given immediate and unlimited access to all KFOR detention facilities in Kosovo. This is the right of the CPT everywhere [..] on the territory of Council of Europe member states,"said Terry Davis. "If there are skeletons in the KFOR cupboard, the eve of the talks on the future status of Kosovo provides a last-minute opportunity to get them out."

Evidence Allegedly Found of Secret CIA Prisons in Europe
2006/01/09 · Deutsche Welle
Swiss intelligence services are allegedly in possession of proof that the US detained terror suspects in secret prisons in Europe. The secret services obtained a copy of a fax from the Egyptian foreign ministry that said the Egyptian embassy in London "learned from its own sources that 23 Iraqi and Afghan citizens had been questioned at the Mikhail Kogalniceanu base" in Romania. A defense ministry report said Egypt believed there were "similar centers in Ukraine, Kosovo, Macedonia and Bulgaria." ABC reported earlier that the US evacuated prisoners from Poland to North Africa shortly before Condoleezza Rice toured Europe.

Investigator links Europe's spy agencies to CIA flights
2005/12/14 · The Guardian
CIA prisoners in Europe were apparently abducted and moved between countries illegally, possibly with the aid of national secret services who did not tell their governments, according to the first official report on the "renditions". Dick Marty, investigating for the Council of Europe, said his information so far "reinforces the credibility of the allegations concerning the transfer and temporary detention of individuals, without any judicial involvement, in European countries". The council has set its 46 members a three-month deadline to reveal what they know.

Human Rights Watch Sticks to CIA Claim
2005/12/09 · ABC News
Poland served as the CIA's main center to detain terrorist suspects in Europe at clandestine prisons, while Romania was a transit point for moving prisoners, said Human Rights Watch investigator Marc Garlasco: "This is what our sources from the CIA tell us and what is shown from the documents we gathered." Poland's President Kwasniewski said that "there never have been" such jails.

Rice Woos Europe's Politicians But Public Remains Skeptical
2005/12/09 · Deutsche Welle
Condoleezza Rice wrapped up a European trip having reassured her European counterparts about the secret CIA prison row. She raised the issue at an Brussels dinner, attended by NATO and EU foreign ministers. Several declared that they were "satisfied" with her explanations. But Rice failed to actually confirm whether the CIA had secret prisons in Europe. She said: "The US does not engage in torture, doesn't condone it, doesn't expect its employees to engage in it. [..] "Will there be abuses of policy? That is entirely possible. Because just because you're a democracy it doesn't mean you're perfect."

Rice Seeks To Clarify Policy on Prisoners
2005/12/08 · Washington Post (via JPI)
Rice said that the US prohibits all its personnel from using cruel or inhuman techniques in prisoner interrogations, whether inside or outside the U.S. Previous statements by the Bush administration have asserted that the ban did not apply abroad. Rice’s statement appeared to bar interrogation techniques that the CIA has been permitted to use, such as sexual humiliation and "waterboarding," in which the prisoner is made to believe he is drowning. The statement appears to result from a debate within the administration. Rice’s team has pushed for a more restrictive standard, often in conflict with VP Cheney’s office.

Extraordinary renditions: So what's all the fuss?
2005/12/08 · The Economist
The European left has long treasured the myth that the CIA snatches people off the streets. Now, the US admitted at least part of this is true. For decades, the US have used “renditions” to transport suspects to third countries “where they can be questioned, held or brought to justice”, said Rice. However, she insisted it “does not permit, tolerate, or condone torture under any circumstances”. She refused to confirm or deny the existence of secret prisons in Europe. Privately, officials imply the Europeans are hypocrites: many of those now grousing acquiesced in CIA operations on their territories.

Romania Investigates CIA Torture Claims
2005/12/08 · BIRN Balkan Insight
Romanian MPs have ordered an investigation over alleged CIA detention camps in the country. Some observers believe little will come of the investigation, which they say has only been called in order to appease EU officials. There has been little protest over the issue in Romania, and officials have denied all allegations. "There was no such thing as a secret CIA prison in Romania," President Basescu said. Most deputies from the ruling coalition oppose the investigation. "Why is it necessary to start a parliamentary probe which will have a negative impact on Romania's image abroad?" asked one.

Rice fails to reassure Europe on covert CIA operations
2005/12/07 · EU Observer, via The Muslim News
Rice's Berlin visit led to irritation, after her aides contradicted remarks by chancellor Merkel that Rice had admitted "mistakes", when they talked about the El Masri case. El Masri, a German national, was abducted by the CIA from Macedonia to Afghanistan and held for five months, until it turned out he was the wrong person. Dutch foreign minister Bot meanwhile said that Rice had "not been able to give a satisfactory answer" to European concerns. ABC reported that CIA prisons in Poland and Romania were closed only a few days ago, and terror suspects flown to north Africa.

German Ex-Minister Under Fire Over CIA Abduction
2005/12/05 · Deutsche Welle
According to a press report -- and contrary to Berlin's claims - the former German government had been informed about at least one case of a CIA abduction of a terror suspect. The then US ambassador told Minister Schily that Khaled el-Masri - a German citizen - had been wrongfully held by the CIA but would soon be released, according to the report. El-Masri spent 5 months in a prison in Afghanistan. German public prosecutors have issued arrest warrants against 22 people allegedly involved in the abduction.

UK 'breaking law' over CIA secret flights
2005/12/05 · The Guardian
The British government is guilty of breaking international law if it allowed secret CIA "rendition" flights to land at UK airports, according to a report commissioned by an all-party group of MPs, even if it were merely to refuel while en route to collect a prisoner. In response to reports that dozens of prisoners had been kidnapped and held incommunicado, the White House said, "We do not move people around the world so they can be tortured." The British Foreign Office said: "We have no evidence to corroborate media allegations about use of UK territory in rendition operations."

Rice to Go on Offense Over Secret Prisons
2005/12/03 · Washington Post
US officials have concluded that they need to put European governments on notice that they should back off. Officials have neither confirmed nor denied the existence of secret prisons, but they hinted at their emerging strategy. "The key point will be 'We're all in this together and you need to look at yourselves as much as us,'" said one. "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones." Rice will introduce the concept that the US "respects the sovereignty" of allies, taken to mean that these operations took place with the knowledge of European government or intelligence officials.

300 CIA flights landed in Europe, logs show
2005/12/01 · EU Observer
Over 300 CIA-operated flights have landed at European airports, The Guardian reported on the basis of flight logs. The logs reveal most CIA planes landed in Germany, which saw 96 visits, and Britain, which had 80 planes stopping over. The report suggests that European airports have been frequently facilitating the transport of suspected terrorists to Guantanamo Bay, or possibly to alleged secret prisons somewhere in eastern Europe.

E.U. Seeks Details On Secret CIA Jails
2005/12/01 · Washington Post
The EU cited possible "violations of international law" by the US in requesting that the Bush administration clarify media reports about secret CIA prisons and the transporting of al Qaeda suspects in Europe, according to a letter from British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. Dutch Foreign Minister Bot meanwhile suggested that the Dutch contribution of soldiers to Afghanistan could be in jeopardy if the Americans "continue to beat around the bush" on the issue. He did however not repeat that linkage yesterday when he met with Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried.

CIA allegations put question mark over Romania's EU credentials
2005/11/28 · EurActiv
The foreign policy spokesman of the EPP-ED group in the European Parliament said Romania's accession should be questioned if the outcome of an inquiry is that the country has co-operated "in an illegal and inhumane way" with the CIA. Romania's Foreign minister Ungureanu meanwhile rebuffed the request for cooperation by Dick Marty, the chairman of the Council of Europe's committee on legal affairs, saying his government was not willing "to waste time" investigating the issue, which was "a minor matter" anyway.

US criticized over alleged Kosovo prison camp
2005/11/26 · ISN Security Watch
The US is accused of running a secret military detention center in Kosovo. The Council of Europe’s human right envoy said he visited the Bondsteel military camp to investigate reports that NATO-led peacekeeping forces were making extrajudicial arrests - an accusation the US military has denied. He described it as a "smaller version of Guantanamo". US officials rejected the accusation. "There are no secret detention facilities located on Camp Bondsteel. [..] We do have a Kosovo Force detention facility" there, Major Wunn said. "Currently, no one is detained in this facility. We have not had anyone detained there during the current rotation."

CIA Uses German Bases to Transport Terrorists, Paper Says
2005/11/25 · Deutsche Welle
The CIA continues to use a military base in Germany to transport terrorism suspects without informing the German government, the Handelsblatt reported, quoting a high-ranking CIA official. The BZ reported 85 takeoffs and landings by planes at German airbases with a "high probability" of being operated by the CIA. Dutch Foreign Minister Bot told parliament that the existence of secret prisons in Europe would have "consequences" for Dutch military operations in Afghanistan.

Austrian Politician Wants Wider CIA Probe
2005/11/24 · The Guardian
Peter Pilz of Austria's Greens accused U.S. intelligence of running a covert airline he dubbed "Kidnap Air.'' He urged the public prosecutor to get involved. The Social Democrats' parliamentary leader demanded that Chancellor Schuessel lodge a formal protest. Spain's foreign minister, meanwhile, said the government had investigated at least 10 stopovers by U.S. planes but had no evidence any laws were broken. Polish PM Marcinkiewicz said he had no information that "any unnecessary episodes'' had taken place. In Romania, the head of the PACE urged lawmakers to investigate reports of clandestine CIA prisons.

Italian Questions Prosecutor's Motives
2005/11/22 · The Guardian
Justice minister Castelli questioned the motives of a Milan prosecutor seeking the extradition of 22 purported CIA agents accused of kidnapping an Egyptian cleric in 2003. "We are examining if the accusations are well-grounded or are simply linked to a type of anti-Americanism that runs through the left,'' Castelli said. He said prosecutor Spataro was known as a militant and had voted in the recent center-left primary to elect an opponent to Premier Berlusconi in the elections.

Nordic states probe 'CIA flights'
2005/11/18 · BBC News
Iceland and Sweden are investigating allegations that planes flown by the CIA used their airports during secret transfers of terror suspects. The Icelandic government has asked the US for an explanation and is still awaiting a satisfactory answer. The CIA's controversial "extraordinary rendition" programme involves removing suspects without court approval to third countries for interrogation. UN special representative on torture Manfred Nowak called on the EU to investigate allegations of secret prisons.

Romania concludes deal on US bases
2005/11/18 · EurActiv
Romania has agreed to the establishment of US military bases on its territory. Romanian President Basescu said that "it is clear that the United States seems to be more interested by the instability in the Black Sea area than the Europeans are. They have already understood the importance of the Black Sea for the security of Europe".

Europeans Probe Secret CIA Flights
2005/11/17 · Washington Post
Several governments have opened investigations to determine whether the CIA secretly used local airports and military bases to transfer terrorism suspects under conditions that violate local and international treaties. Officials in Spain, Sweden, Norway and in the European Parliament opened inquiries or demanded answers from the U.S. In Italy and Germany, criminal probes deepened into the alleged CIA kidnapping of terrorism suspects. Ireland protested the presence of CIA-operated aircraft, while Denmark asked the CIA to avoid Danish airspace altogether when transporting secret prisoners.

Brussels dismisses calls for enquiry into alleged CIA jails
2005/11/15 · EU Observer
The European Commission (EC) rejected MEPs' calls for a formal investigation into alleged CIA prisons on EU territory. Commissioner Frattini said the EC had seen "no evidence", and that it could only continue its "ongoing dialogue" with member states. A formal enquiry is "not authorised by the [EU] treaty," he said. "We are in a position to put questions, but can we seize classified files of the CIA? No, sorry." Meanwhile, new reports emerged on CIA planes using European airports to transfer terror suspects.

Spain probes 'secret CIA flights'
2005/11/15 · BBC News
Spain is launching an investigation into claims that CIA planes carrying terror suspects made secret stopovers on Spanish soil. Interior Minister Alonso announced this on Spanish television Tuesday. According to press reports, the CIA is suspected of having used Majorca for such prisoner transfers. "If it were confirmed as true, we would, of course, be looking at very serious cases," Mr Alonso said.

European courts may challenge US terror renditions
2005/11/14 · EU Observer
The Spanish national court will be asked to consider whether the CIA was routing suspects through Majorca as part of its rendition program, involving secret kidnappings of terror suspects. Italy could issue a formal request to extradite CIA operatives accused of kidnapping a radical imam. In Germany, an investigation has been opened into the kidnapping of imam Abu Omar. Today MEPs will debate reports of secret CIA detention camps in Europe. Last week the Council of Europe appointed Dick Marty to examine the existence of such detention centres.

EU diplomats sceptical on CIA detention camp reports
2005/11/03 · EU Observer
EU diplomats do not believe the CIA has secret detention camps in Poland or Romania, but the European Commission will quiz member states informally on the subject. The Polish president's spokesman said: "There have never been special prisons for terrorists in Poland". The Romanian prime minister said: "There are no CIA bases in Romania". The commission's competency on candidate countries like Romania is limited to monitoring the Copenhagen criteria. "I don't think the existence of secret prisons would be compatible with th[ose]", said spokesman Roscam Abbing.

Poland and Romania marked as likely locations for CIA camps
2005/11/03 · EU Observer
Speculation is mounting on the possible location of camps where the CIA interrogates al Qaeda suspects in eastern Europe. The question on the exact location comes after a Washington Post report on Wednesday. Human Rights Watch has identified Poland and Romania as likely locations, referring to the flight records of CIA aircraft. Czech interior minister Bublan said that the US approached Prague to build a camp, but was rebuffed.

US has Secret CIA Prisons in Eastern Europe
2005/11/03 · Deutsche Welle
A Washington Post report says that the CIA operates secret prisons known as "black sites" in "several democracies in Eastern Europe". The White House confirmed nor denied it. Hungary's intelligence chief said Budapest had not been approached, and that "the mere suggestion of this is absurd." The Post said that virtually nothing is known about who is kept in the secret facilities, what interrogation methods are employed, or how it is decided whether they should be detained or for how long.