Europe to probe CIA flights

2005-11-23 23:14

Strasbourg - The Council of Europe said on Wednesday it was opening a probe into mounting reports that United States intelligence used European airports to ship suspected terrorists held secretly outside US territory.

The pan-European body's secretary-general, Terry Davis, announced "a formal inquiry into recent reports suggesting that terrorist suspects may have been secretly detained in, or transported through, a number of... member states with the possible involvement of foreign agencies".

The council's member states would have until February 21 next year to provide information to the inquiry, said Davis.

The inquiry would look at governments' compliance with European human-rights law and whether officials had been involved in "unacknowledged" detentions or transport of detainees, including "at the instigation of any foreign agency", said Davis.

Planes spotted all over Europe

Press reports have said Washington's central intelligence agency has operated secret detention facilities in eastern Europe, Afghanistan, Thailand and elsewhere in order to circumvent US laws protecting detainees, particulary restrictions on the use of torture.

Planes allegedly operated by the CIA have been spotted at airports in Finland, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden as well as Morocco.

Britain, the present chair of the European Union, said on Tuesday that, after requests from several member states, it would ask Washington to supply answers to allegations that the CIA had held terrorist suspects in Europe.

The Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly had already announced a probe into reports of the CIA operating clandestine detention facilities in some European countries.

The new probe announced Wednesday came amid a flurry of fresh reports on alleged covert flights.

- AFP