Ierse minister: geen bewijs voor CIA-vluchten via Ierland (en)

Dermot Ahern, the Irish Foreign Minister, told MEPs there was "not one shred of evidence" that extraordinary rendition had occurred through Irish airports or territory. Giving evidence on Thursday to the Temporary Committee investigating allegations of illegal CIA activity in Europe, Mr Ahern debated the conclusions of rapporteur Claudio Fava's report with MEPs, speaking of his "annoyance" at the sections on his country.

On extraordinary renditions, Mr Ahern said: "We emphasised to the United States authorities" - as early as in 2004 - "our complete opposition to the practice, wherever it might take place, and made clear that [it] would never be permitted through Ireland.", The US, in response, "has stated that prisoners have not been transferred through Irish territory, nor would they be without our permission." These "categorical, unqualified assurances", added Mr Ahern, "were in addition personally confirmed to me by the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, when I met her on 1 December 2005". If subsequent US assurances to other European governments "have tended to be more general or arguably even ambiguous, [...] our earlier and repeated assurances are comprehensive, factual and not open to differing interpretations." After a "thorough, inter-departmental investigation into the State's practice, we are completely satisfied that there has been no [...] involvement or complicity in Ireland," he said.

CIA flights via Ireland?

Citing "the allegation in your rapporteur's draft report that aircraft associated with the CIA have passed through Ireland on 147 occasions", Mr Ahern remarked that he had "the most serious questions about the methodology used in establishing such a figure of allegedly suspicious flights." He added: "I would also seriously query the draft language used in the paragraph in question."

"The facts speak about 147 stops", said rapporteur Claudio Fava (PES, IT). "Fourteen planes, which clearly belonged to the CIA" passed through Ireland. You talk about exhaustive American assurances "excluding that these 147 were used for extraordinary renditions", he said to Mr Ahern. Was it on the basis of the American government's assurances that you concluded that "no planes" were used for extraordinary renditions, he asked.

The report "treats as suspicious", answered Mr Ahern, "any aircraft" which is said to be owned or operated by the CIA at some time, "irrespective of when it passed through Ireland". With that in mind, he argued, "use of the figure of 147 [flights] is extremely questionable". He then reiterated his earlier statement: "At no stage is anybody suggesting that there were prisoners on board."

Legal responsibility in the Abu Omar case?

Noting that his group's position was that the "CIA are entitled to charter planes" and make use of EU airports "as long as they do not engage in illegal activities', Simon Coveney (EPP-ED, IE) remarked that he did not attach "so much importance" to the number of flights. However, he said, we knew that extraordinary renditions took place in Europe. "We know for a fact", he said "[_] that in the most high-profile rendition case of Abu Omar, [_] the plane that took off from Cairo [having carried out the rendition mission] stopped next at Shannon for refuelling". He then asked: "Is it not a source of concern [_] that on its way home an Irish airport was used as a pit stop, essentially?"

Members of the Irish Human Rights Commission, argued Mr Coveney, confirmed that Irish human rights responsibilities are involved where CIA-operated flights are on their way to carry out rendition missions or "returning from rendering such prisoners". Why, he asked, is the Irish minister dismissing "the legal opinion of the Irish Human Rights Commission"? Do you accept that there is "legal responsibility if planes are on their way to, or back from, extraordinary renditions?", asked Sarah Ludford (ALDE, UK), picking up on Mr Coveney's comments. There are "legal implications" in the framework of extraordinary renditions, said Mr Ahern. However, he noted, "there is no evidence brought forward against Ireland on this".

If parties are providing food and shelter for the perpetrators of illegal acts, asked Proinsias de Rossa (PES, IE) towards the end of the meeting, "are they accomplices"? "Yes - if they do so knowingly" said Mr Ahern. " Knowingly ", he repeated. "I reject your implication that we were complicit in any way" in committing an offence, he said.

The draft report by Mr Fava is due to be put to the vote in the committee on 23 January 2007.

28/11/2006

Temporary Committee on the alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transport and illegal detention of prisoners

Chair : Carlos Coelho (EPP-ED, PT)

Procedure: Own-initiative report

Plenary vote: February 2007