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CIA 'tortures people' in Jordan
25/07/2006 10:49 - (SA)
London - Jordan was a "central hub" in the secret and illegal transfer of people the CIA suspects were terrorists, said Amnesty International on Monday.
A report by the London-based human rights group detailedhe cases of "dozens" of individuals allegedly tortured in Jordan, "ten of whom appear to be rendition victims".
Recent reports have alleged that the United States organisation conducted "extraordinary renditions" - the covert transfer of US terrorism suspects to third countries or US-run detention centres. Washington has denied the charges.
Amnesty said the men were taken to Jordan from several countries, including Afghanistan, Indonesia, Pakistan and the US.
Some of the men were held and tortured for months in Jordan before being moved to the US prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, or various other "secret" prisons, said Amnesty.
Suspects 'disappear'
"Jordan appears to be a central hub in a global complex of secret detention centres operated by the US in co-ordination with foreign intelligence agencies," said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa programme director.
"It is into this complex that suspects 'disappear' - and are held for interrogation indefinitely, outside any legal or administrative process."
The human rights group urged Britain to cancel its "memorandum of understanding" with Jordan.
The memorandum provides assurances that any Jordanian national forcibly removed by Britain to Jordan would not be tortured on return.
Victim's soles are beaten
Amnesty also called on Jordan to end its assistance to the American rendition programme and to make public the names and details of all the individuals already secretly moved to Jordan by the CIA and other foreign agencies.
Most of the torture by the Jordanian authorities has been conducted by the General Intelligence Department (GID), a military security agency linked to the country's Prime Minister Maaruf Bakhit, said Amnesty.
The GID's torture methods include "falaqa" - where the soles of the victim's feet are repeatedly beaten with a stick, and "shabeh" - where prisoners are suspended for hours by their handcuffed wrists and beaten.
"GID officers have extensive powers and benefit from near total impunity - acting virtually as a law unto themselves," said Smart.
- AFP
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