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EU to probe reports of CIA detention camps |
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Friday, 25 November 2005By Katherine Baldwin
LONDON (Reuters) - The European Commission will seek answers from Washington on reports the CIA ran secret detention centres in Europe, the bloc's Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini said on Thursday.
The Washington Post newspaper reported this month the CIA had been interrogating suspected al Qaeda captives at a secret facility in eastern Europe that was part of a covert global prison system with sites in eight countries.
Washington has refused to confirm or deny the report.
Frattini said Jonathan Faull, head of the commission's department for justice, freedom and security, was in Washington on other business but would seek details on the issue.
"I asked him to raise also this point and to ask the U.S. authorities to inform me directly on whether and how these rumours are true or not," Frattini told Reuters in London.
The Council of Europe, the continent's top human rights watchdog, with no institutional relationship to the EU, has opened an investigation into the allegations.
EU states agreed on Monday to write a joint letter to the United States seeking clarification about the allegations.
U.S.-based organisation Human Rights Watch has identified Romania and EU member Poland as countries that may have been used by the CIA in the alleged secret operation, but both countries have denied it.
Polish Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz said in London on Thursday allegations that Polish airports had been used by CIA flights would be investigated.
"I have no information from Polish services that would lead to the belief of any unnecessary episodes in Poland," he said following talks with Prime Minister Tony Blair. "Any rumours should of course be checked and this is worth checking."
Frattini said the consequences for member states would be severe if the reports were confirmed.
"It will be up to the commission to indicate the possible sanction," he added. "The sanction is very severe."
Asked about the impact on EU-US relations if the reports were true, Frattini said: "In the spirit of friendship ... it would be extremely counterproductive to take for granted rumours without investigations."
Romania has said it will allow investigations at two military bases to show they were not used by the CIA.
Spain has said a judge is investigating allegations that the CIA used a Spanish airport as a base for transporting terrorism suspects.
Blair said the EU should wait for a response from Washington but stressed Washington was a close ally: "These types of stories arise with a fair degree of regularity," he added. "I think we should wait for the facts first."
Reuters via swissinfo |
Friday, 25 November 2005
swissinfo.org
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