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
ONLY 13 months ago, during a visit to County Clare, the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, said he did not believe the U.S. Government would deceive the Irish Government in matters relating to the alleged covert transporting of prisoners through Irish airports.
The statement followed widespread claims that a jet, operated by the CIA, had transported prisoners through Shannon Airport on board so-called “rendition flights.” The practice, where prisoners are allegedly snatched in one country and transported to another to be tortured and interrogated, has been condemned by human rights activists in Ireland and abroad.
It is known that the Gulfstream V aircraft, with the registration number N379P, has visited Shannon at least 14 times since January 2002 and local peace activists believe that the airport has been used as a transit point for these so-called “high-value targets.” Their claims have now been backed up by last week’s Council of Europe report which revealed thatIreland was one of 13 countries which facilitated “rendition flights.”
On a visit to Clare in March 2005, Minister McDowell said, “If anybody is detained in Ireland unlawfully on a transit basis, it would be of grave concern to the Irish State and is a matter on which the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Justice would act immediately.”
“Apart from making suggestions that it has happened or might happen, not one person has come forward with one shred of evidence that this is happening. I believe the U.S. Government has made it clear that it would not infringe our laws,” Minister McDowell said.
Minster McDowell was adamant that “no prisoners have been brought through Shannon. I rely on the American Government to be truthful and honest in its dealings with the Irish State and they have assured us that Shannon is not being used as a transit point for prisoners in breach of our laws and I am prepared to accept that at face value.”
“I accept the word of the American Government. America is a loyal and true friend of Ireland and I don’t think that they would deceive us in this matter,” the Minister concluded.