US "rendition" for torture illegal under UK law. Is it legal here?
international |
anti-war / imperialism |
news report 
Thursday January 19, 2006 15:14
by watcher
A few pertinent questions for the Irish government
Rendition of suspects by the US is illegal under UK law, according to a leaked document given to the New Statesman. The full document is at the last link below.
Some questions arise for the Irish government, civil service, Gardai and Irish army, who shamefully make us complicit in serious breaches of human rights law.
A) Why has the Government refused access to information on this subject under the Freedom of Information Act?
B) What has been the legal advice on US stopovers in Shannon given to the Irish government?
C) Minister for Foreign Affairs Ahern lied in the Dail on January 26th 2005 that the state was a party to any secret international agreement. Labour's Micheal D. Higgins later revealed two secret defence agreements:
1. The “Agreement concerning security measures for the protection of classified military information”. Signed at Dublin on the 31st January 2003, and entered into force on that date.
2. The “Acquisition and cross-servicing agreement, with annexes”, signed at Stuttgart-Vaihingen (US European Command HQ) and Dublin on the 26th and 27th February, 2004, entering into force on the later date.
What are nature of these agreements and why were they not laid before the democratic arm of the state, as is required by the Irish constitution?
More:
Secret payments for US landings, as reported by The Phoenix:
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=73809
Secret Irish Defence Agreements Linked to CIA Torture Revealed:
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=73761
Text of an ignored criminal complaint made about redition flights made at Shannon airport to Gardai on 2nd October 2004:
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=67865
Comments (7 of 7)
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Nothing to see here just passing through
Well where is the proof? Seeing a plane isnt proof... show me the prisoners... oh wait they arent there....
Beyond reasonable doubt people, familiarize yourselves with it
Is the benchmark for a conviction in a court, not the criteria for starting an investigation.
It IS beyond reasonable doubt that: -
the same aircraft that have been involved in snatches and torture allegations around the world , have refuelled in Shannon.
that the aircraft are not carrying military nor diplomatic insignia
that the govt and the cops do not want to look inside.
Under international human rights law, the onus is on the government and Gardai to look for proof. They have not done this despite a number of criminal complaints. Diplomatic assurances are not enough on this one.
Shop or Just relax with friends
Richard Boyd Barrett last night asked Dr Noam Chomsky if he would agree that, as a result, the Government was complicit with state terrorism, war crimes and breaches of international human rights. He also asked Dr Chomsky if he would endorse worldwide demonstrations on March 18th-19th for withdrawal of US-led forces from Iraq.
"The second one is easier to answer - yes." He said this would mean supporting "the overwhelming majority of the population of Iraq" which, according to recent authoritative opinion polls, wanted an end to the occupation.
On Shannon issue, he said: "I can only respond conditionally. I don't know the facts. But if what you say is correct, and if in fact even a part of it is correct, yes, that's participation in what was declared at Nuremberg to be 'the supreme international crime which encompasses within itself all of the evil that follows'. Participation in that is, yes, a crime. And from then on, it's your business."
"according to recent authoritative opinion polls, wanted an end to the occupation."
What polls? and how was the question framed? for example did the respondents want and end to the occupation straight away or only after other variables are taken in to account?
Including one conducted by the Occupation Authorities (who presumably didn't spin the poll so that they'd get the answer that the occupation was unpopular!) which showed that 82% of Iraqis disapproved of the troops and a CNN/Gallup poll which found that 57% of Iraqis wanted the troops out IMMEDIATELY. Do some reading around for yourself and stop just asking questions which you can find the answer to yourself.
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