11 Jun 2007

On the evening of 8 June 2007, Liberty received a letter from Police Chief Constable Michael Todd on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) which refused to commence a police enquiry into allegations that extraordinary rendition flights had received UK logistical support.

Director of Liberty Shami Chakrabarti issued the following response:

“Over 18 months ago, Liberty wrote to the police expressing concerns based upon credible investigations, that Britain may have been used as a staging post for the CIA’s programme of “extraordinary rendition”. We asked for a police investigation. Today Senator Dick Marty issued the Council of Europe’s official report finding European collusion with extraordinary rendition and blanket “overflight clearances” for US military flights. Coincidentally, Liberty today received a written response from Chief Constable Michael Todd on behalf of ACPO refusing to commence any police enquiry into the allegations. An ACPO public statement claims no evidence has been found. When politicians spin, it is disappointing. When the police engage in such activity, it is rather more dangerous.”

Chakrabarti further said that Liberty “rejects ACPO's findings as a ‘whitewash’ and questions whether it had even investigated the claims.”

Liberty first expressed concerns in November 2005 that the UK government may be complicit in alleged torture practices if secret “torture flights,” carrying suspects to third countries where they may face torture, transited UK airports.

• On 8 June 2007, the Council of Europe released the findings of its 19-month investigation into extraordinary rendition flights which confirmed that European authorities were aware of illegal activity on their territory and that US military flights were given “overflight clearance.”

• On 8 June 2007 hearings began in the first extraordinary rendition trial opened in Italy. Abu Omar claims to have been kidnapped in Milan by CIA agents and flown to Egpyt where he was allegedly tortured.

A dossier of Liberty’s correspondence with ACPO is available on www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk

Contact: Jen Corlew on 0207 378 3656 or 0797 3 831 128

NOTES TO EDITORS
1. An investigative report on extraordinary rendition flights conducted by the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee is expected to be published soon.

2. On 30 November 2005, Liberty called on the Police Chief Constables of Bedfordshire, Dorset, Essex, Hampshire, the Metropolitan Police, the Ministry of Defence Police, Suffolk, Sussex, Thames Valley, and West Midlands to conduct an investigation into whether the airports in their regions were being used to transport suspects to countries known to practice torture. In response to Liberty’s request to the police, Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Michael Todd confirmed on 19 December 2005 that he would look into “extraordinary rendition” flights on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO.)

3. Liberty also alerted the-then Foreign Secretary Jack Straw in November 2005 of its fears that the UK is in breach of domestic and international law by allowing CIA “extraordinary rendition” flights to land and re-fuel in Britain. A dossier of Liberty’s ongoing correspondence with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is available on www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk

4. In February 2007 the European Parliament’s temporary commission on extraordinary rendition approved a report accusing EU states of complicity with CIA rendition flights.

5. On 6 September 2006 US President Bush acknowledged the existence of secret CIA prisons and said 14 key terrorist suspects have now been sent from the prisons to Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba.

5. On 26 June 2006 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) passed a resolution calling on all member states, including the UK, to pressure the US into ending rendition flights, closing secret prisons and changing their own laws and practices to guarantee the rights of persons captured from, detained in or transported through their states.. Eighteen members of the UK Parliament from all the main political parties are on the PACE.

6. On 7 June 2006 the Council of Europe released preliminary findings concluding that CIA flights carrying terror suspects likely to face torture have been given access to UK airspace and airports.

7. On 26 May 2006, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights concluded that the Government was not doing enough to investigate whether UK airports are being used by secret CIA flights involved in the practice of extraordinary rendition.

8. Liberty has called 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.

9. The Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Select Committee and the All Parliamentary Subject Group on Extraordinary Rendition are conducting investigations into allegations of rendition flights.

10. 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.

11. Investigative journalist Stephen Grey’s book, “Ghost Planes,” explores allegations of European complicity with extraordinary rendition flights.

12. The Guardian newspaper 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.