In response to Transport Secretary Alistair Darling’s revelation that six US planes alleged to be involved in “extraordinary rendition” have used UK airports 73 times since 2001, Gareth Crossman, Policy Director of Liberty said:

“The Government’s ongoing smoke and mirrors campaign, in which piecemeal information on these flights is grudgingly handed over, is frankly baffling and in gross contrast to our obligations against torture.

If the Foreign Secretary is unable to prove that these flights haven’t passed through UK airports, he must at least support legislation to ensure this will never happen in the future.”

Contact: Jen Corlew on 0207 378 3656 or 07973 831 128

NOTES TO EDITORS

On 19 January 2006 Liberty called on the Foreign Secretary to support an amendment which would allow the Secretary of State to force any suspicious aircraft in UK airspace to land and that plane to be searched. The amendment, tabled to the Civil Aviation Bill by Baroness d’Souza, will be debated in the Lords on 28 March.

In his written answer to Michael Moore MP, the Transport Secretary said there was no evidence that the flights were involved in rendition, but went on to say that there is no information available on the passengers or the purpose of the flights because these details are not routinely collected.
On March 17-18 the Venice Commission, the legal arm of the Council of Europe, is to determine the international legal obligations of Council of Europe member States in respect of inter-state transport of detainees.
4. The UK has been given a deadline of April 7 to complete the response

to the Council of Europe’s inquiry on the compliance of member states with their obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights in the context of the alleged rendition flights in Europe.