The Council of Europe has reported today that it is highly likely that European governments are aware of the secret transport of up to 100 prisoners through Europe to third countries where they may face torture.

Liberty fears that the UK government will be complicit in acts of torture if it fails to more actively investigate the possible use of UK airports for “extraordinary rendition” flights.

Director of Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti, said:

"It is time for our Government to get its story straight- not about what it did not know, but what its going to do about such serious alleged violations of human rights and UK sovereignty.

The Prime Minister has long talked about a wish for his ‘Hugh Grant moment’.

Now is the time to send a clear signal to the President that torture flights are completely unacceptable. Otherwise the "special relationship" forged in defence of democracy and human rights will become both extraordinary and ridiculous."

Liberty has called on the Government to comply with police inquiries, seek diplomatic reassurances from the US government, and change British law to halt rendition flights.

Liberty Press Office on 0207 378 3656 or 07973 831 128

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. In response to Liberty’s request for police to investigate allegations that CIA flights taking suspects to face torture have landed at UK airports, Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Michael Todd confirmed on 19 December 2005 that he will look into “extraordinary rendition” flights on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO.) Liberty and Mr. Todd will meet again in mid-February 2006.

2. On 19 January 2006 and 30 November 2005 Liberty asked the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary to seek assurances from the US that it is not using UK airports to transport suspects to countries that torture and has thus far received an unsatisfactory response.

3. Liberty is calling on the Government to support an amendment which would require the Secretary of State to force any suspicious aircraft in UK airspace to land and that plane to be searched. On 8 December during the Lords Committee Stage of the Civil Aviation Bill, Labour Peers argued that the UK’s international obligations under the Convention on International Civil Aviation 1944 (the “Chicago Convention”) would be abrogated by the proposals in the amendment. The amendment will be re-tabled at the Report Stage in January 2006.

4. The Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Select Committee, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights and an All Party Subject Group led are separately investigating allegations of rendition.

5. The Council of Europe’s deadline for Government responses to its investigation into CIA prisons and extraordinary rendition practices is 21 February 2006.

6. Liberty’s call to action against extraordinary rendition is part of its “No torture, no compromise” campaign which seeks to make the UK government honour its positive obligation to stop torture and ill-treatment.

7. The Guardian revealed on 6 December and 12 September 2005 that airports in Biggin Hill, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Brize Norton, Farnborough, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, RAF Mildenhall, Northolt, and Stansted have allowed CIA or CIA-chartered jets to land temporarily. These aircraft had flown into the UK approximately 210 times since 2001.