This article is from page 14 of the 2006-06-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
THE LATEST claims that prisoners are being transported through Shannon for torture have prompted calls for the resignation of Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern.
The Council of Europe Watchdog’s report, compiled by Swiss senator and lawyer, Dick Marty, points the finger of blame at Ireland as being one of 14 European nations which formed a “spider’s web” of collusion in the transport of prisoners to be tortured.
Senator Marty used flight records and the testimony of individuals who had been victims of special rendition to paint a picture of which countries took part and which airports were used by CIA planes allegedly carrying prisoners.
The report covers 10 case studies involving 17 individual detainees. The information from flight logs has been cross-referenced and each flight has been traced from beginning to end.
He says that the information which was compiled for the report “shifts the balance of proof” and leaves European governments, including Ireland, with questions to answer.
The report has caused uproar among human rights groups, antiwar activists and opposition politicians.
In January of this year, politicians were warned that Ireland could have tough questions to answer in the EU probe. At that time, Fine Gael’s Simon Coveney said he anticipated that Ireland “will be forced to give evidence and I expect the Government will have to establish the facts.”
From the first claims early this year that the CIA flights landing at Shannon were carrying extraordinary rendition prisoners, the Government has said that they accept “categorical assurances” by the US that this was not happening.
But amid a media furore over the claims, the Government ruled out the release under the Freedom of Information Act of minutes of a meeting between Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, at which the issue was discussed.
But the Government has responded to the claims by repeating that they were given “categorical assurances” by the US that this was not happening in Shannon.
Transport Minister Martin Cullen told the Dail this week that he has been given “unambiguous assurances that prisoners have not been transferred through Irish territory and would not be without our permission.”
In a talk which he gave in Trinity College, leading US academic Noam Chomsky launched a scathing attack on the Government, acccusing the Taoiseach of “shining the shoes” of the US president by allowing Shannon to be used.
The first movement of troops on US planes through Shannon more than two years ago was greeted with protests, a peace camp and attacks on planes standing on the tarmac which led to a number of criminal prosecutions.