Council Of Europe Confirms CIA Rendition Flights

SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE today (April 12th 2006) Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe gave an update on the current investigation into CIA rendition flights and facilitation within European borders.

The following information is taken from his speaker notes and I will quote directly concerning two key conclusions which he has come to in the course of his investigation to date:-

“…the second batch of replies confirmed that virtually none of our member states have proper legislative and administrative measures to effectively protect individuals against violations of human rights committed by agents of friendly foreign security services operating on their territory. It looks as if the analysis of laws and administrative practices regulating the use of civil aircraft will lead to a similar conclusion. Some governments are trying to remedy the situation by asking for diplomatic assurances, a method which in my view has not proven to be adequate and to provide the level of positive protection required by the European Convention of Human Rights.”

“… on the basis of the information I have received so far, I am now in position to say that we no longer need to speak about ‘alleged’ cases of rendition. I am not in a position to go into any further detail at the moment, but we have received official acknowledgment of ‘handing over’ individuals to foreign officials through procedures which ignore the standards and safeguards required by the European Convention on Human Rights and other legal instruments of the Council of Europe.”

It’s not exactly news to those of us who have been following this story for the last year or so, but it’s nice to have it officially confirmed. The more pressure on member states the better as far as I’m concerned. Maybe it’s time Bertie & Co. revisited their faith in the reassurances from the US that nothing is going on at Shannon Airport