CIA rendition flights and prisons: European Parliament Committee ends visit to London

3.33.30pm GMT Fri 6th Oct 2006

Speaking after the two-day delegation visit to London by the European Parliament temporary committee investigating alleged CIA 'extraordinary rendition' activities in Europe, the head of the delegation Sarah Ludford MEP (Liberal Democrat, London) said:

"Our visit was valuable in helping obtain important new information on specific cases of extraordinary rendition. The meetings have highlighted the need to investigate allegations concerning the involvement of UK intelligence services personnel in rendition operations against British victims and the possible holding of terrorist suspects in an air base in Germany."

"We are encouraged by the effective work already done by the Westminster parliament, through the Foreign Affairs Committee and Joint Committee on Human Rights as well as through the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Extraordinary Rendition, and by the fact that the Intelligence and Security Committee has launched an enquiry".

Noting that the delegation had unsuccessfully requested to meet the Foreign Secretary, other Secretaries of State and representatives of the intelligence services, Sarah Ludford commented of the meeting with Minister for Europe Geoff Hoon:

"We were grateful to have the opportunity to meet Geoff Hoon. However, we felt that his answers were not as forthcoming or informative as would be justified by the weight of the allegations raised in the various parliamentary fora".

During their visit MEPs also had the opportunity to meet a British citizen who was a victim of extraordinary rendition, and the lawyers and relatives of three other victims who are still in Guantanamo. They met MPs and peers from the committees and APPG mentioned, as well as investigative journalists and NGOs.

The cross-party delegation was composed of seven members of the temporary committee. Rapporteur Claudio Fava (PSE, IT) added:

"It was especially meaningful for us to meet the British citizen Martin Mubanga owing to the dramatic circumstances under which he was interrogated, rendered to Guantanamo and held there for 33 months, during which period the UK authorities failed to give him the appropriate legal assistance. I regret that the British government did not want to comment on that issue during our visit".

ENDS

Notes for editors

1. Nine MEPs - from Italy, Poland, Germany and the UK - took part in the delegation. Head of the delegation was Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP, Deputy Chairwoman of the European Parliament Temporary Committee on alleged use of European countries by the CIA for transport and illegal detention of prisoners. Baroness Ludford is a Liberal Democrat MEP representing London. Other UK MEPs involved: Timothy Kirkhope MEP (Cons, Yorks & Humber); Claude Moraes MEP (Lab, London); Jean Lambert MEP (Greens, London)

The European Parliament's rapporteur is Claudio Fava, MEP from Italy.

2. The European Parliament's Temporary Committee was set up in January 2006 with a mandate to look into whether the CIA have carried out abductions, detentions at secret sites, torture, inhuman or degrading treatment of prisoners on EU territory or in acceding or candidate countries, or have run flights to or from such countries; whether such actions, even if carried out as part of the fight against terrorism, violate the EU Treaty, the European Convention on Human Rights, the Charter of Fundamental Rights or other international agreements, including EU-US agreements on extradition.The Rapporteur, Mr Fava, is due to table his draft report to the Committee in late November 2006. The full Parliament will vote in February 2