War on terror abuses: European Parliament urged to investigate EU states' complicity

3.10.02pm GMT Wed 23rd Nov 2005

Liberal Democrat European justice spokeswoman Baroness Sarah Ludford, MEP for London, will today (Wednesday) urge the European Parliament's Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs committee to back the establishment of a temporary committee of inquiry to research the involvement of EU governments in US-led illegal imprisonment, secret detention, extraordinary renditions and torture. She said:

"I am getting sick and tired of proclaiming that the EU is the gold standard in upholding human rights and the rule of law, while doubts and suspicions swirl around about the extent to which our governments or security services have been complicit in 'war in terror' abuses. Let us try and find out the truth."

"In the debate last week in Strasbourg, EU justice Commissioner Franco Frattini made clear that he either could not or would not properly investigate claims that secret CIA 'war on terror' jails were located in eastern Europe, possibly Poland and Romania. If he won't do it, then we MEPs have to act ourselves."

The establishment of a committee of inquiry needs the support on one-quarter of MEPs. Baroness Ludford believes that it would give the process a kick-start to have the endorsement of MEPs who deal with EU law and liberty measures in the 'LIBE' committee. She intends to propose that the EU network of human rights experts should be asked to prepare the work of the inquiry, which should link up with other investigations by national parliaments and the Council of Europe parliamentary assembly.