'Proof' of secret CIA prisons

2006-01-09 22:18

Brussels - European investigators looking into allegations of secret CIA-run prisons in Europe said on Monday that a purported Egyptian government message naming countries where such prisons existed could amount to indirect proof of the claims.

However, the investigators from the Council of Europe, the continent's top human rights body, said they were still trying to confirm that the Egyptian document was genuine.

The document's existence was reported on Sunday by the Swiss weekly SonnstagsBlick.

The newspaper reported that the document said Egypt had confirmed through its own sources that the US intelligence agency had held 23 terror suspects at a military base in Romania.

The message also said there were similar US detention centres in Ukraine, Kosovo, Macedonia and Bulgaria, according to the newspaper.

The message, a fax sent by satellite transmission from Egypt's foreign ministry to its embassy in London, was intercepted on November 15 by Swiss intelligence, the newspaper reported.

The Swiss defence ministry said on Sunday it was investigating the leak of the secret document.

Two of the European investigators said on Monday that, if authenticated, they would consider the faxed message to be indirect proof that the facilities existed and an additional indication that some governments in Europe may not have revealed everything they know.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the investigation.

European officials say such secret prisons would violate the continent's human rights laws.

- AP