Gardai refuse to search known CIA rendition plane at Shannon

international | crime and justice | news report

Tuesday October 30, 2007 14:26

by Edward Horgan - PANA

N475LC CI A Torture Plane refuelled with impunity at Shannon 30 Oct 07

The arrival of CIA torture rendition plane N475LC at Shannon at about 1.20 am this morning was witnessed by Edward Horgan, Conor Cregan, and Garda Pat Harte and Garda Karen Fitzgerald, who were watching Cregan and Horgan at the time. Immediate requests for this plane to be searched were immediatly refused.

Photos of this aircraft taken at Shannon can be found at this web address:
http://www.jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?regsearch=N475LC,
A google search on N475LC will show up all the information the Gardai need to justify carrying out a search on this plane.

The following is a copy of the Statement of complaint and request for search of aircraft made by Edward Horgan at Shannon Garda Station at 02.43 am on Tuesday 30 October 2007.

My name is Edward Horgan of Newtown, Castletroy, Limerick. I am a researcher at the University of Limerick. On the 30/10/07 I was at the north side of Shannon airport with Conor Cregan at about 01.20. I observed a GulfStream VI aircraft coming in to land registration number N475LC. I am aware that this aircraft has been used on several occasions to transport prisoners for torture and I am aware that this has been confirmed by the European Parliament and by the Council of Europe. At about 01.25 am I made a request to Garda Pat Harte and Garda Fitzgerald to have this plane searched and also to pass this request on to the Station Sergeant at Shannon Garda Station. I explained that I wanted the plane searched under the European (should read UN) Convention Against Torture and I informed him of its CIA history. I then drove with Conor Cregan to the south side of the airport, and conformed that this aircraft was parked close to the terminal building. We drove to the arrivals area and requested a meeting with the airport duty manager. There was a delay of at least twenty minutes before we met the duty manager Pat Foley. I repeated my request to Mr Foley to have this aircraft searched and he informed me that the aircraft had already left the airport.
It is my belief that the delay in Mr Foley meeting us was intended to avoid having the search the aircraft. In my opinion the aircraft was at Shannon airport for at least 45 minutes after we made our request to Garda Harte and Garda Fitzgerald to have the aircraft searched. When I spoke to Garda Fitzgerald outside the terminal building while waiting to meet the duty manager she informed me that they could not search the aircraft because they had instructions from the Attorney General not to search such aircraft. I have reason to believe that this aircraft and other CIA controlled aircraft including aircraft number N478GS also controlled by the CIA had been regular visitors to Shannon airport in recent times and are likely to return in the near future. I request that these two aircraft in particular be searched every time they visit Shannon airport for the purpose of complying with the European (should read UN) Convention Against Torture. It is my form belief that the Gardai at Shannon airport and the airport authorities were in breach of the UN Convention Against Torture because of their failure to search Gulf Stream aircraft number N475LC. I now hand in a print of a photograph of this aircraft taken recently by Mr Trevor Mulkerrins at Shannon airport. I’m handing in this photograph so that the Gardai can clearly identify this aircraft when it arrives in Shannon again. I have read over this statement and it is correct. I have been invited to make any additions or alterations.
At present there is also an Evergreen International at the airport which may be carrying weapons and munitions contrary to the Hague Convention on Neutrality. I request that this aircraft be searched tonight before it leaves the airport. I do not wish to make any further alterations to this statement.
Signed: Edward Horgan
Witnessed: Edward Henderson Garda 33025F

Please note that legal consultation are already taking place with a view to taking legal action to protect the human rights of any prisoners who may be transported through Shannon airport on this or similar rendition aircraft.

The following is an indymedia report on a previous visit by N475LC to Shannon:

CIA rendition plane N475LC at Shannon??
by Edward Horgan - many Mon Apr 24, 2006 12:19

It is good to see some Irish/American support comming in. Thanks Siobhán

On Saturday 22 April, while on my way back from the European Parliament at Brussels, I landed at Shannon airport at 4.30 pm. I observed a Gulfstream executive jet, parked at the airport, in the special secure area, and protected by Irish army troops. It was plain white in colour. I now have reason to believe that this was Gulfstream VI CIA controlled Jet registration number N475LC, one of the CIA Aircraft the flight logs of which I had submitted to the EU Parliament enquiry as having landed at Shannon and several other European airports. As I did not have binoculars with me I was unable to establish its exact number, but I have since received information that CIA plane N475LC was in fact due to land at Shannon the previous evening. Any confirmation that the aircraft on Saturday was N475LC would be welcome.
As I got off my Ryanair flight I took a few photos of this aircraft from a distance, and will publish these later.
When I got into the terminal building, I went to the Viewing gallery, and took some more photos. I was then challenged by AP inspector Michael Hogan, who ordered me to leave the airport. I refused and spent a further 45 minutes at the airport and took several more photos while he was watching. I informed him that I was photographing a CIA Aircraft.
After I left the airport I went to the Garda Station at Shannon and requested that this particular aircraft be searched as I suspected it may be carrying prisoners.