Scottish Executive accused of turning a blind eye to US 'torture flights'
19.01.06
The SNP accused the Scottish Executive of turning a blind eye to so-called torture flights yesterday, after it published pictures of alleged CIA planes at Edinburgh Airport. The executive said it has no knowledge of Scottish airports being used.
The party has compiled a dossier which lists in detail the planes and the dates on which they landed while allegedly operating for front companies of the CIA. Makes and registration numbers of planes at Edinburgh, Prestwick, Glasgow were detailed along with photographs.
Among the planes identified is a Gulf stream jet, dubbed the 'Guantanamo Bay Express', which was reportedly used to transport suspects to the US prison in Cuba. According to the dossier, the plane landed five times at Glasgow and Prestwick airports between 2002 and the end of 2004.
The SNP said the report, which lists ten firms that have allegedly operated as CIA shell companies, had been compiled by a senior aviation expert. It comes after a Council of Europe human rights probe said the CIA had breached international law by transporting prisoners to foreign countries for interrogation.
The US has confirmed that a number of flights carrying terror suspects have taken place across the world under a process known as 'extraordinary rendition', but has rejected claims of prisoner abuse.
SNP foreign affairs spokesman Angus Robertson MP accused Scottish First Minister, Jack McConnell, of turning a blind eye to the issue and called for an investigation. Mr Robertson said: 'This report gives worrying details about alleged intelligence flights through Scotland. The planes in question have been subject to diplomatic and parliamentary inquiries in different countries. This report establishes that they did pass through Scottish airports.'
'The Scottish Executive now has a responsibility to pursue this issue like other governments. Continuing with a 'hear no evil, see no evil' policy is just not good enough.'
A spokeswoman for ministers said: 'The executive has no knowledge that Scottish airports have been used for so-called rendition flights. The investigation of crime is a matter for the police. As we have always made clear, if any individual or organisation has any evidence of illegal activity, or of activities facilitating torture, then this information should be passed to the police.'
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