Report says US planes at Shannon should be inspected

by Mary Kelly Fri Dec 23, 2005 18:02

of the IHRC to investigate illegal use of Shannon and it will remain to be seen how robust this committee is, and what powers it has .
The Dept of Justice needs to be engaged with, see enclosed comment from other thread ........."The Dept of Justice Equality and Law Reform is currently preparing the First National Report by Ireland as required under Section 19 of the UN International Convention aganst Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment ....the Dept. now wishes to invite submissions from interested parties on the above matter. Submissions should be made in writing or by email and should be confined to the above matter.

Submissions should be made before 9 January 2006. Send to Room 304, Dept. of Justice Equality and Law Reform, Shelbourne Rd., Ballsbridge, Dubln 4 or to Prisons_Policy_INBOX@justice.ie.

Note: the text of the Convention is available electronically from www.ohchr.org/english/law.htm. The legislation which gave effect to it in Ireland is the Criminal Justice (United Nations Convention against Torture) Act 2000 (no 11 of 2000) available from www. irishstatutebook.ie or www.oireachteas.ie'

by Seán Ryan Sat Dec 24, 2005 00:51

Hi Mary.

I'd like to ask your advice.

I'd like to enter a submission, but I've never entered one before.

I'm very uncertain of the format it should take, and its lattitude.

For instance, there's plenty of evidence to suggest that America has been practicing "extraordinary renditioning," for a very long time now, well before the illegal invasion and illegal war in Afghanistan.

This type of evidence could potentially suggest that Shannon has been used a place of facilitation, for human rights abuses for decades.

Admittedly it only becomes useful evidence once the fact that Shannon currently facilitates human rights abuses is accepted by the powers that be.

However on its own it does provide compelling evidence that America tortures by proxy. Which in turn strengthens the case that America uses Shannon.

I think you might be seeing my point.

I want to make a valid, prompt and useful submission that leaves the metaphorical gate open for the submission of any further evidence if warranted.

I wonder could you post some site addresses or whatever that show submissions similar in nature to what is required here.

Better still, why doesn't everybody interested, post their submissions in Indy. This would in my opinion act as a bootstrapping mechanism.

It would greaty increase the potential for an increased number of submissions, in that the, virgins like myself would be more able and more confident in creating a submission.

It would also put into a very public record the evidence that will be submitted, which in turn could potentially inspire Bush's Irish representatives, our government, to some arse covering actions and more importantly, to some American exorcisms.

Thank's for reading, if you've gotten this far.

Sláinte, and a happy Christmas to you.

Seán Ryan

by Edward Horgan - Peace and Neutrality Alliance Sat Dec 24, 2005 00:56

I have on numerous occasions, given 'explicit, unambiguous and unqualified assurances' to the Gardai at Shannon that CIA aircraft that are being used for the rendition of prisoners for torture have been using Shannon airport and Irish airspace. I have also on numerous occasions, given 'explicit, unambiguous and unqualified assurances' to Gardai and Irish Government authorities that Armed US troops are passing through Shannon airport for the purposes of the Unlawful Iraq war.
The response to this evidence and assurances has been that I have been arrested, harassed and had my cameras and other equipment taken from me, and interfered with. I have also been searched without my permission on several occasions at Shannon, yet Irish government ministers have stated that they have no powers to search real criminals, including torturers and mass murderers passing through Shannon.
My latest detention at Shannon occurred on Thursday 22 December 2005 as I was about to catch a flight to Gathwick, because I allegedly took a photo of US troop Carrying aircraft at Shannon. At least 30 minutes after I was alleged to have taken these photos I was approached by airport police inspector John Martin, in a very public manner as I was purchasing coffee and sandwiches just beyond the Duty Free area. He was backed up by two gardai. I was forcibly removed from the Duty Free Area, and brought back through the Arrivals hall to the Airport Security office where I was questioned and where Airport security then requested the Gardai to arrest me under the Air transport and Navigation act. I warned the Gardai at this point that they would be contravening the law by doing so, and advised them to contact their superiors before taking any action. they then contact the Sgt in charge of Shannon garda station, and the Gardai (police) decided to refuse to arrest me, and I was released, and I subsequently manage to catch my flight to London. Both my camera and my mobile phone were forcefully removed from me during this time and interfered with.
This incident occurred exactly 48 hours after I had addressed the Oireachtas Joint committee on foreign affairs at Leinster House, Dublin, and specifically complained about my having been previously arrested and my cameras impounded at Shannon. I can confirm that I was seeking further information at Shannon of 22 December 2002 in order to provide get further information for the Oireachtas committee on foreign Affairs, because members of that committee, including the committee convener specifically requested me to get such information and pass it on to them whenever I had such evidence.

However, my unlawful detention is not as serious as the unlawful detention of dozens of undocumented prisoners captured or kidnapped by the US CIA under their rendition for torture programme. Just before US Secretary of State visited Europe in Early December 2005, it was revealed internationally that several European states including probably Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania and Bulgaria had been operating secret 'black site' prisons for torturing these prisoners to extract information from them. It is now believed that the prisons were quickly shut down, and the prisoners transferred to countries such as Morocco and Egypt, which are not subject to democratic controls.
My fear, and my belief now is that most if not all of these prisoners will be permanently disappeared, or killed, i.e. executed, after they have been tortured, so that it can never be proven that the US and its allies, including Ireland participated in their unlawful torture. There is now a most urgent need for the Red Cross and Red Crescent organisation to gain immediate access to these prisoners and to insist that the US and all members to the UN provide complete lists of all prisoners held for whatever purposes, so that the treatment of all prisoners can be independently monitored. For some, those who have already died under torture it is already too late.

Happy Christmas??

from
Edward Horgan

by John O'Driscoll - Private ex-Citizen Mon Dec 26, 2005 03:26

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by Michael Thu Dec 29, 2005 20:33

The Minister for Justice and Law Reform, and all the top civil servants and other politicians around him, are *engaged* to American power. Sure the Dpt of Defence sent invoices for CIA torture planes refueling at Baldonnel to a P.O. Box in Ghana ffs! Meanwhile they courts and the politicians say "if anything smells rotten, we'll be onto it!"

The Irish Government are greater cheerleaders for American power and international abuse than even some American politicians themselves!

by A10 Fri Dec 30, 2005 12:50

You have been politically defactaing on the doorstep of Shannon airport for so long now ,and annoying the personel down there for so long.Do you honestly expect that when you show up there on "ligitimate"busisness of your own.That they would welcome you with open arms,a big hug and free coffee???

Of course they were going to "interfere" with your phone and camera.Who knows where or what you were photographing or sending it to?Of course you wernt photographing anything military,sure,sure, Ted Bundy didnt like the taste of human flesh either.]

For all they know you are an agent or have sympathies with some Muslim terror group,planning an attack on US military personel passing thru shannon airport to free and keep tryanny out of some of the most repressive areas of the world.
Not forgetting that you are an EX military man,and who better to know how to "recce "a target???Can take the man out of the army,but you cant take the army out of the man.
What you sow ,so shall you reap.
Be thankful they didnt decide on a full body cavity search,which they would be entitled to do as well.Although that would have given plenty more moaning material to go on about.
BTW WHO appointed you and your group to give any "unambigiuos,etc,etc,statements"to the Gardai in Shannon or Dail Eireinn???
I dont remember you running for public office or voting for you,or actually asking you to do this for me or " the irish people"Or did you just self appoint this task to yourself after army retirement?
Maybe in future you should get a flight from Cork or Dublin, or take the bus or ferry then we wont have to listen to your self inflicted publicity generating woes of your travel plans.

by Roger Cole - Peace & Neutrality Alliance Fri Dec 30, 2005 15:51 pana at eircom dot net 01-2351512

If A10's personally abusive comments on Ed Horgan's treatment at Shannon airport is the best the pro-imperialist forces in Ireland are capable of, then there is no problem.
However it is not the case.
The reality is that the Irish political/media elite has made a decision to integrate Ireland into the US/EU military industrial structures in order to ensure Ireland's full and active participation in the resources wars of the 21st century. The Peace & Neutrality Alliance was the first organisation to hold a demonstration at Shannon airport in May 2002 and has organised or helped to organise many demonstrations at Shannon since then.
However the use of Shannon by the US is only a part of the problem. The use of Baldonnel airport, Aldergrove airport and possibly other airports are also crucial. The decision of the Ahern Government to integrate the Irish Army into the EU Battlegroups is an absolutely central part of the process.
The reality is that the Ahern Government is totally committed to this war process and the Irish people are being gradually dragged deeper and deeper into the war. Since the mainstream media also back this process, Indymedia offers one of the very few mechanisms by which those of us opposed to the Ahern neo-Redmondites can communicate to each other and putting up with personally abusive remarks is just one the things we have to live with.
I have no doubt whatsoever, that as the Irish people, the vast majority of whom now support the Imperialist parties like Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the PD's will change their mind as we are dragged deeper and deeper into this Imperial war, especially when the US attacks Iran.
While we should be confident of victory, unfortunately many more will die thanks to Ahern and the other neo-Redmondites before the US are stopped from using Shannon and the Irish Army is withdrawn from the EU Battlegroups.
In the meatime we need to continue to struggle. I would like to thank Indymedia Ireland in the role they play in allowing the debate and discussion necessary in the building of an anti-imperialist movement and wish them a Happy New Year.