No evidence of CIA torture flights at Prestwick Airport
27.07.07
No evidence has been found to support claims that Prestwick Airport was used for CIA-sponsored 'torture flights', according to a Parliament committee. Following a year-long inquiry, the intelligence and security committee (ISC) said that it could not find evidence to back up the allegations.
It had been claimed that, between October 2001 and July 2003, Prestwick Airport was used on four occasions by CIA-sponsored planes to refuel aircraft which were involved in transporting suspected terrorists to countries where they may undergo torture. The claims triggered an outcry, but the Government always insisted it had found no evidence to justify the issuing of a search warrant to inspect US flights. The Government's position was supported by the ISC's inquiry.
In a report published yesterday, the committee said it had been told by MI6 that the security service had not helped 'extraordinary renditions' via UK airspace of territory. Government officials also said it had 'no evidence' of rendition through the UK, while the Department for Transport said flight data checks 'provided no evidence that the flights identified were involved in the rendition of prisoners'.
The report said: 'It is alleged that, on up to four occasions since 9/11, aircraft that had previously conducted a rendition operation overseas transited UK airspace during their return journeys (without detainees on board). The committee has not seen any evidence that might contradict the police assessment that there is no evidential basis on which a criminal inquiry into these flights could be launched.'
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