CIA Torture Jets: More controversial in UK than Ireland?

international | anti-war / imperialism | other press

Friday February 11, 2005 15:28

by redjade

''UK airports are believed to be operational bases for two executive jets used by the CIA to carry out 'renditions' of terror suspects.''

Britain accused over CIA's secret torture flights
10 February 2005
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/crime/story.jsp?story=609538

Britain's intelligence agencies have been accused of helping America in a secret operation that is sending terror suspects to Middle Eastern countries where prisoners are routinely tortured and abused.

[....]

Britain is also an operational base for two executive jets regularly used by the CIA to carry out so-called "renditions". One Gulfstream jet - used for taking prisoners to Egypt and Jordan from countries including Sweden and Indonesia - has called regularly at Luton, Glasgow, Prestwick and Northolt airports.

A Boeing 737 jet, used for the transfer of prisoners, passed through Glasgow airport on Monday morning on its way to Iraq. Both jets are white and unmarked, apart from their US civilian registration. Inquiries suggest they are owned by US companies that exist only on paper and which are almost certainly a front for the CIA.

....the planes used by the CIA have left a trail. The Gulfstream, then registered as N379P, was first spotted landing at Shannon airport, Ireland, in spring 2003. Its registration number, since changed, was logged by members of a peace camp. They only learnt that it was the rendition plane when they were later contacted by Swedish journalists investigating the torture of the two Egyptians. "It just looked like a civilian plane," said Edward Horgan, 59, from Limerick, one of the witnesses to its landing.