Ministers will have to resign if Shannon assurances are untrue, Gilmore tells Council of Europe

national | anti-war / imperialism | press release

Tuesday January 24, 2006 12:09

by cf - Labour

The European Court of Human Rights has repeatedly ruled that “diplomatic assurances” do not provide sufficient protection against the risk of torture
The Irish Government has not carried out any inspections of aircraft or flights using Shannon, despite being asked to do so by the Irish Human Rights Commission

Shannon Airport in Ireland has been listed as one of the airports which may have been frequently used for the illegal transport of detainees. I wish to specifically address this point.

Shannon Airport has been used by the United States for the movement of troops to and from Iraq. Last year, the number of US troops moving through Shannon doubled to 300,000.

The Irish Labour Party has challenged this use of Shannon, which is a normal civilian airport. We have also questioned if Shannon has been used to transport detainees to camps such as Guantanamo. Even before the initial reports from Human Rights Watch the Labour Party had raised in the Irish Parliament (Dail Eireann) the possibility that Shannon may have been used for the transfer of detainees for torture or ill-treatment.

The Irish Government has consistently responded to our concerns by repeating diplomatic assurances which have been given by the United States. Responding specifically to the allegations which are the subject of Mr Marty’s report, our Foreign Minister stated in the Dail (December 14):

“the United States has given Ireland repeated, clear and explicit assurances that no prisoners have transferred through Irish airports…These assurances were confirmed by Secretary Rice, at a meeting on December 1st” and that the Government had accepted the assurances “in good faith.”

I regret to say that the Irish Government has not carried out any inspections of aircraft or flights using Shannon, despite being asked to do so by the Irish Human Rights Commission.

It is not sufficient to accept “diplomatic assurances” about such possible abuses of human rights and such possible major breaches of international conventions on human rights and torture.

The European Court of Human Rights has repeatedly ruled that “diplomatic assurances” do not provide sufficient protection against the risk of torture (Chabal v UK, 1996; Agiza v Sweden, 2005).

The UN Special Rapporteur says “diplomatic assurances are unreliable and ineffective in the protection against torture and ill-treatment” (August 2005).

The Council of Europe High Commissioner for Human Rights says: “The weakness inherent in the practice of diplomatic assurances lies in the fact that where there is a need for such assurances, there is clearly an acknowledged risk of torture and ill-treatment” (July 2004).

Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights imposes a positive obligation on member states to protect persons against torture and ill treatment, which can not be satisfied by the acceptance of unverified diplomatic assurances.

Senator Marty, and anybody else investigating these allegations, will have considerable difficulty getting to the truth, if member states do not carry out thorough independent inspections and enquiries. Relying on the assurances of countries, whose own secret service agencies may be involved, is simply not good enough.

In our democracies there has to be political accountability. If it turns out that the assurances which have been given to date are not accurate; that detainees have been tortured and ill-treated; then those Government Ministers who accepted the assurances without carrying out inspections or independently investigating them should be obliged to resign from office.

The possibility that there may be secret detention centres in Europe and that there may be systematic transportation of detainees for torture brings echoes from some of the darkest days in Europe’s history. Our purpose here in the Council of Europe is to uphold Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law. That is why we must all now work to ensure that our individual countries fully co-operate with Senator Marty’s investigation.

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Comments (14 of 14)

Greens call for Shannon searches of US planes

by Damien M

Tue Jan 24, 2006 18:03

Greens call for Shannon searches of US planes

By Luke Cassidy Last updated: 24-01-06, 16:23

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2006/0124/breaking59.htm

You need a subscription to read online so here it is:

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"Green Party foreign affairs spokesman John Gormley today called on the Government to search US planes going through Shannon airport.

Mr Gormley's calls came after Swiss senator Dick Marty published the interim report of his investigation into allegations of CIA secret prisons in Europe.

In the report, Mr Marty said there was much evidence of "outsourcing of torture" by the United States but that he had not so far uncovered firm evidence the CIA ran secret prisons in Europe.

Mr Gormley said Mr Marty's conclusions justified his party's long-standing calls for US planes using Shannon airport to be searched.

"The circumstantial evidence is certainly strong enough to give rise to real concern, in this country, that there have been abuses of human rights legislation. . . . If the US government has nothing to hide then they have nothing to fear in this regard," said Mr Gormley.

However, when asked about rendition flights this afternoon, Minister for Justice Michael McDowell said: "We have received an absolute assurance from the United States Government . . . that there has been never been an instance where an individual has been brought through Shannon airport in custody in a manner which breaches Irish law," Mr McDowell said.

Labour Party TD Eamon Gilmore said ministers would have to resign if rendition flights had used Shannon airport."

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A couple of questions for McDowell

by Seán Ryan

Tue Jan 24, 2006 20:16

Out comes the spin again I see!

From the simple assurance of a person who can be shown to be a liar, without a lot of effort, McDowell is able to conjecture and submit that, "there has been never been an instance where an individual has been brought through Shannon airport in custody in a manner which breaches Irish law."

I wonder would McDowell like to answer the following, the final question is open to Labour:

i. How many persons have been rendered through our airports legally. By this I mean that any such legality arises from plausible deniability. Which cannot arise in this case due to the massive ammount of evidence that has sat before McDowell for a long long time, with McDowell staring blindly over its rim, whistling happy tunes. The quote suggests that someone has been rendered and that legailty is the only question that need arise.

ii. Is it the job of the minister for Justice, to procure Justice for the people of Ireland by ignoring them, favouring instead his American betters and handlers? Rest assured that I remain unassured by McDowell's answers or second hand assurances. And I have yet to receive any assurance whatsoever that McDowell is either fit for or capable of the honour which is his sworn duty to me, the common citizen.

iii. Does he not feel at the very least that he should be sued, for defaming his country and office?

iv. Why is Labour not suing him? At the end of the day, saying we did this and we did that, show irrelevency, rather than leadership potential, considering that none of it worked. This is not intended as a death blow to Labour, who possess many fine people and minds like Michael D, but a request to let up on the backslapping until the deed is at least done.

Sláinte,
Seán

Perspective

by Michael

Tue Jan 24, 2006 21:41

What are we talking about... 10, 20, 100, or 200 people MAX who may, possibly, have been transported through SNN to be interrogated and probably tortured somewhere rotten.

That's fewer than the number of innocent civilians which American murderers shot -- never mind the countless bombed to death -- in Fallujah in one week.

I think that the liberal media and political elite are all huff and puff about the torture flights because they are basically besides the point. The Israeli media and liberal elite refresh themselves every few years with a similar shock story about some soldier somewhere who shot a little girl or humiliated an old violinist at a checkpoint for hours.

It's like: "There! You see -- we're objective, we're human(e). We can't allow this." Nobody believes it anymore.

the affair has now moved closer to the Irish executive's international commitments and obligations.

by iosaf mac d - viii

Tue Jan 24, 2006 21:44

barcelona

This has been and will be a very long process. Many of us might have missed how long a process. The flights were observed in many European states and some of our neighbours to the east and south. They were observed by individuals, groups and governmental agencies. We know that. We also know all that was too easy to brush under the "magical flying carpet" of government. But then the Council of Europe got involved. The Council is seperate to the Union, has more members, covers some of the states where we have alledged the CIA illegally transported individuals. We alledge they illegally did so, because of the commitments our states have made to internationally ratified human rights declarations. The nitty gritty of which lie with the _the council of Europe_. From that auspicious start, the parliament of the European Union (25 states) discussed and voted. And now the European Comission has instructed its members to "get truthful".
Bit by Bit the clout of those who are publically and officially concurring with those who made the initial allegations gets heavier. But we are talking about executive powers, the progress of the judicial cases based on our allegations is seperate, and even slower. Yet more than 12 cases remain open _in process_ in more than 4 states. You need a different kind of clout to happily prosecute such cases.

I'd admit to ye, so i would;-

I don't know how much clout you need to knock Ahern hard enough... but not hard enough at the same time. Sure you might need him afterwards, if you know what I mean. In €uroland language (the kind I'm your expert in) : this means the chickens "en route" are coming home to roost. Well for the moment the CIA chickens. We'll deal with the sick flu ridden H5N1 plague birds who will surely rise up and kill us all another day.

It is too late for searches

by Edward Horgan

Tue Jan 24, 2006 21:45

The crimes of torture were committed at Shannon airport when prisoners were "rendered" through Shannon between October 2001 and December 2005. It is now too late to start searching CIA planes. The birds have flown.
Torture is a serious crime.
Killing over 100,000 people unlawfully in a far more serious crime.
What is needed now is to stop both US troops and CIA aircraft from using Shannon airport at any time in the future.
They have abused Irish neutrality, with the complicity of the Irish Government. There will be no reprieve for the 100,000 Iraqis killed, so let there be no reprieve for US use of Shannon airport.
Lets stop calling for searches of US aircraft at Shannon. If the Irish Government agree to search US aircraft, they will first inform the US which aircraft are to be searched, and of course nothing "untoward" will be found.
It is likely also that the 150 prisoners suddenly moved from European Black Site prisons in November 2005 will never again be found. They will be "liquidated" on the US orders. They will not be reprieved.

We urgently need whistleblowers at Shannon airport now. Gardai, Shannon airport staff, civil servants, aircraft refuelers, do your duty, tell the people of Ireland when and how many prisoners have passed through Shannon airport between Oct 2001 and December 2005.
Ireland is guilty of complicity in crimes against humanity. It is time begin acts of atonement, and reparations.
it is time to prevent the US from ever again abusing Shannon airport, and Irish neutrality.

How do people who know of these crimes get the information out? There are many ways including publishing anonously on indymedia.
Speak the truth now.

The evidence will soon become much clearer.

Tue Jan 24, 2006 22:16

In New York yesterday, a federal judge ordered the United States government to make public the details of those held in Guantanamo Bay.

The case was taken by the Associated Press last April, and had sought the names of detainees, and transcripts of court-martials, in order to determine whether they were properly catagorised as "enemy combattants." (When did they stop using the term "illegal combattants?").

The judge has ordered that the government turn over all details by Jan 30th.

The US government has until tomorrow to ask the judge to suspend his order and lodge an appeal.

Here's the story from Reuters:
http://today.reuters.com

They'll probably appeal, but I hope it gives McDowell tingly feelings.

Details will help big time in current investigations. Names coupled with demographics and compared to European transit routes = very strong statistical evidence. And will suggest many lines of new investigation.

Sláinte,
Seán

A hostile act

by skeptomaniac

Tue Jan 24, 2006 23:03

Lets not forget that the governments stock answer to questions regarding the continnued use of Shannon without securing a mandate from the UN was.....

......eh..we... that is....eh... the government...eh,... have taken on board...eh, the view hat...eh,...under close...eh, scrutiny...it was agreed that...eh,...it would be concidered ..eh, ...a hostile act ...eh to withdraw facilities at Shannon to our friends in the US.

More American 'assurances'

Wed Jan 25, 2006 02:37

Tis amazing, how low the leaders or leader of a country, will bow after an assurance from the American death machine.

Check out the comments from this, 'leader' who has often suspended the constitution of his own country, these comments say very basically that it's ok for the CIA to bomb this leader's countryside, targetting villages and killing citizens. But that's ok cause the Yanks said they were Al Qaeda.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C01%5C25%5Cstory_25-1-2006_pg1_1

Wakey wakey.

Sláinte
Seán

judicial progress against CIA in USA -

by iosaf

Wed Jan 25, 2006 10:59

["Twenty cases of detainee abuse allegations against CIA and Defence Department employees have been referred to the Justice Department for possible prosecution, a senior U.S. official said in a letter released on Tuesday.

Assistant Attorney General William Moschella said in a January 17 letter to Sen. Richard Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, that the cases span both the Afghanistan and Iraq wars and contain not only allegations of physical abuse but also possible violations of federal law and U.S. treaties.

Civil liberties advocates said the cases involve civilian interrogators and showed a double standard in light of recent convictions of lower-ranking soldiers accused of abuse.

Only one CIA case has resulted in a criminal indictment. In that case, former CIA contractor David Passaro has been charged in North Carolina in a federal case involving the 2003 death of an Afghan detainee.

Moschella said the other 19 cases referred to the Justice Department have been reviewed by a federal prosecution task force in Virginia. Two have been closed for lack of sufficient evidence, and all others remain under investigation.

"It is now clear that enlisted men and women in a soldier's uniform are being convicted while CIA agents and civilian contractors who allegedly participated in the same crimes remain free," Christopher Anders, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement."]

Reuters report read the rest at -
http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=6410176&cKey=1138152023000

Reply to Mr.Ed.Horgan

by mr.jinks

Thu Jan 26, 2006 12:55

See link...J20....."probing media" ignore major story.

some answers to your questions by some one with a bit of inside info...

Truths or myths, let unbiased people decide.

Some illegally held prisoners are released

Thu Jan 26, 2006 16:43

Around 420 Iraqi detainees will be released over today and tomorrow, including five women, according to the American military, who now say these particular detainees no longer represent a threat to security.

Each will be paid $25 and taken to where they were captured, or their homes.

This leaves 14,100 detainees including four women according to the US.

Check out the full story at:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000102&sid=aOdbwP_.vMCE&refer=uk

Workers Sacked at Shannon, yet Managers complicit in Crimes agasint Humanity

by Edward Horgan - PANA Peace and Neutrality Alliance

Mon Jan 30, 2006 01:31

Six Workers have been dismissed at Shannon for playing ball at the airport.
Management at Shannon have been playing ball with George Bush in his crimes against humanity in Iraq. The wrong people are being dismissed.

The people of Shannon and the workers at Shannon are being blamed for complicity in the Killings and torture in Iraq, because of the decisions and actions of the Irish Government.

The actions of the Shannon airport authorities in sacking these workers for a minor breach of safety, while the same management have knowlingly allowed plane-loads of Patriot missiles to land at Shannon, as well as thousands of tons of high-explosive munitions some of which included depleted Uranium is mindbogling.
It is time for the people of Shannon and the workers at Shannon to think for themselves and take appropriate action.
An information meeting is being held Tonight, Monday 30 January at 7 pm in the Oakwood Arms at Shannon.
While this meeting is mainly to inform Shannon people of the implications of US military use of Shannon, we welcome all members of the public, and we will also welcome your opinions, critical or otherwise.
This is an opportunity to inform yourself and inform others of your opinions on various matters at Shannon including the dismissal of these workers.
It is the management at Shannon that should be dismissed for gross endangerment of workers at Shannon airport, at Shannon Industrial estate and at Shannon town.

Details of public meeting below,
but additional time will be allowed for general discussion and expression of views.
Edward Horgan

Press Release

Torture and Killing:
Iraq and the Shannon Connection

An ex-US Marine will give a first-hand account of his time in Iraq, including how his Platoon killed over 30 innocent Iraqis.
at a public meeting in Shannon on Monday.
The talk, title "Torture and Killing : Iraq and the Shannon Connection" will take place in the Oakwood Arms Hotel in Shannon, at 7pm, Monday January 30th.

The meeting will also feature two local peace activists, Ed Horgan, a retired Irish Army Commandant, and Tim Hourigan, who monitors US military use of Shannon. The various speakers will discuss how Shannon Airport, is a major hub for CIA torture jets, US military personnel and cargo, while Mr. Massey will give personal accounts of his time as a platoon sergeant in Kuwait and Iraq.
Mr. Massey is in Ireland as part of a short round of anti-war talks. He was in Dublin last October to testify in a court case. Under oath, he told the judge and jury, that his Marines were told to consider all Iraqis as potential terrorists, to shhot first and ask later, and that as a result of these Rules of Engagement, his platoon killed over thirty innocent civilians. Mr. Massey told the court that the 3rd Battallion 7th Marines regularly used Shannon Airport as a transit point, and that he would categorise it as a military supply and logistics port for transporting US Marines and their equipment.
Ed Horgan, spent 20 years in the Irish Army, serving at home, and abroad on UN peacekeeping missions, including the Middle East.
In 2003, he returned his medals in protest at the US military use of Shannon to attack Iraq. Mr Horgan said that "US military use of Shannon is the most shameful act by Ireland since the foundation of the State". Along with fellow speaker Tim Hourigan, Mr. Horgan has helpd to record US military use of Shannon, and has testified to the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee.
Mr. Hourigan will also talk about his investigations of CIA use of Shannon, and how the government is turning a blind eye to torture.
All members of the public are encouraged to attend and give their opinions on the use of Shannon for war.
Contact :

Ed Horgan 085-1026631

Tim Hourigan 087-9777703

Oakwood Arms Shannon

Monday 30th January 2006

All welcome.

torture

by mr jinks

Thu Feb 02, 2006 15:32

''''Torture is a serious crime.
Killing over 100,000 people unlawfully in a far more serious crime. '''''

(quote from horgan a few days ago...)

i presume you are talking about saddam's regime over the last 20 odd years!!!!!!!
if not then it should be..
dont forget the, amercians arent the ones whose govt / dicatorship had been slaughtering their own people / genocide / tyranny etc.. the Us are by far the lesser of two evils..
if ye are so worried about the plight of iraq why dont go over to irag and help out in the humaitarian aspect of it, and try and get over the rather unhealthy obsession with shannon aiport

Re: torture

by T

Thu Feb 02, 2006 20:01

Mr Jinks,

During the late 80s and early 90s were you one of the people who cheered along with the government about all the booming export trade in beef to Iraq to feed Saddam troops, because the governments (FF and FG/Lb/Gr) of the day enthusiastically supported this trade with export credits and so forth.

The nature of the regime was well known then, but few wanted to hear about such concerns as it might affect Irish jobs. It's funny the way Irish jobs in Shannon has been raised from time to time as reasons for doing nothing.

And regarding the US government not killing people? Well maybe not in their own country, but they very directly supported those doing it elsewhere and even went to the trouble of training many of those in the death squads particularly in Central America. Of course lets not forget, the mess they left behind in Afghanistan after helping fund that with Saudi Arabia. There are numerous other adventures that they have been involved in.

What is consistent though is that the apologists for war have always been unwavering in their support of those powers that orchestrate such wars and brutal regimes.

BTW, Nobody in the anti-war movement ever supported Saddam. They all recognise that he was the local thug in Iraqi working on behalf of his superpower sponsor, the USA. What they did support though is the right of the Iraqi people to choose and control their own destiny

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Ministers will have to resign if Shannon assurances are untrue, Gilmore tells Council of Europe

Comments (14 of 14)