The Government's policy of allowing US military and CIA aircraft to use Irish airports is to be closely scrutinised as part of a major United Nations investigation into alleged human rights abuses of prisoners detained as part of the war on terror, The Irish Times has learned.
Irish peace activists have long claimed that aircraft owned or controlled by the US military and the CIA have been transporting prisoners of war, via Irish airports, to jurisdictions where they have been tortured during interrogation. A new inquiry into the allegations has been established by the UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) and forms part of a wider inquiry into ways in which counterterrorism operations around the world may breach human rights.
The man leading the inquiry is Martin Scheinin. Last night he confirmed he had been contacted by Irish citizens who had brought to his attention allegations that aircraft allegedly transporting terror suspects to be tortured during interrogation had passed through Irish airports.
A list of states through which US aircraft had been passing had already been drawn up, and the records of these countries would be the first to be examined. Ireland was not on this list, but the Republic would form part of future inquiries. Mr Scheinin said he would welcome any further information in relation to US aircrafts passing through Irish airports.
Allegations have surfaced in a number of countries that a US special forces team has taken terror suspects, without trial or charge, from the countries where they had been living to Egypt, Pakistan, Kuwait and Guantanamo Bay, where it is alleged some were tortured during interrogation.
One CIA-controlled aircraft allegedly used in December 2001 to take two Egyptian men from Sweden to Egypt has been spotted at Shannon a number of times. The men were allegedly tortured during interrogation in Egypt.
Irish activists say the aircraft used to transport the two Egyptians has been used in a large number of similar cases. They say it has used Shannon a number of times.
Activist Tim Hourigan, who stood unsuccessfully for the Green Party in the Limerick East constituency in the 2002 general election, has kept a log of some of the aircraft’s flights in and out of Shannon. He says it has passed through the airport at least 15 times. Mr Hourigan has made statements to gardaí about the activities of the aircraft. However, while two files were sent to the DPP, the matter has gone no further.
The new UN investigation is likely to be much more thorough than the Garda inquiries. Ireland could be found in breach of international law if it were proven it did not act to prevent torture.
In June, Amnesty International criticised Ireland for allowing Shannon airport to be used by the US as it carries out "extraordinary renditions", transferring people involuntarily across borders without due process and often in secret. The organisation said it had received reports "of a US-leased jet, which appeared to have been used for such purposes, being sighted at Shannon airport . . . on several occasions".
Any US military aircraft passing through Shannon are required to seek permission from the Irish authorities. They are also required to give assurances that they are unarmed and not carrying arms, ammunition or explosives. However, inspections of the aircraft are not carried out when they touch down in Ireland.
