League in Scotland Follow-up on Rendition
NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE
LEAGUE IN SCOTTISH FOLLOW UP ON RENDITION
The Celtic League has followed up earlier correspondence to Scottish authorities about the alleged use of airports in Scotland by CIA aircraft involved in rendition (see below):
Mr K MacAskill
Justice Minister
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
06/01/2013
Dear Minister,
I write with reference to our correspondence in September 2012 and the reply from your Justice Directorate (Ref. 2012/0030134).
Despite the assurance in the final paragraph of the letter we have not as yet o any action by Strathclyde Police and I now enclose further correspondence to them
I would remind you Minister of the quote (sometimes attributed to the philosopher Edmund Burke):
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing
Yours sincerely
J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
Celtic League
The Chief Constable
Stephen House
Strathclyde Police Headquarters
173 Pitt Street
Glasgow
G2 4JS
06/01/2013
Dear Chief Constable,
I write with reference to our earlier correspondence (09/09/2012) concerning extra-ordinary rendition and the use of airfields in Scotland by aircraft involved in this practice.
I would appreciate a response to our assertion that there is now clear evidence that aircraft connected to this illegal practice transited through Scotland.
I pointed out that documents uncovered by Human Rights Watch in Libya identified a Boeing 737 (N313P) as being involved ? a memo dated October 10th 2003 clearly states this.
In late August 2003 this aircraft was logged at Glasgow ? International airport.
I repeat the request (set out in our earlier correspondence ? see below) that your Force acts on this information and establish if this aircraft was carrying persons illegally for the purposes of torture and mistreatment whilst in your jurisdiction.
I await your response.
Yours sincerely,
J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
The Chief Constable
Stephen House
Strathclyde Police Headquarters
173 Pitt Street
Glasgow
G2 4JS
09/09/2012
Dear Chief Constable,
The Celtic League wrote to you in December 2004 concerning allegations that Airports in your force area have been used:
as a refuelling base for a jet being used by American intelligence agencies to fly terrorist suspects to countries that torture prisoners.
We said:
I feel sure if persons being held against their will were transferred through your force area in this manner without the authorities being notified you would wish to check on their subsequent treatment and indeed establish if any of the
persons transported in this way had been ill-treated in any way before or after their arrival in Scotland.
Although you responded at the time as far as we are aware no serious attempt was undertaken to ascertain the veracity of these reports.
One of the aircraft allegedly used in these renditions was a Boeing 737 (serial number N313P) which called at airports in Scotland on several occasions. One of the problems in relation to pursuing this matter was (we understand) the fact that there was no corroborative evidence that this aircraft was involved in such rendition flights.
However, new documentation (recently published) shows that this plane was directly involved in these activities. The documentation is in the form of a memo from US and British intelligence officials to Libyan intelligence head, Musa Kusa, and it clearly identifies the aircrafts involvement in these activities and indeed also names those involved.
Can I ask if Strathclyde police, given that such strong evidence is now available, will seek to establish if any law was broken whilst this aircraft was using airport facilities in Scotland and specifically if the aircraft was carrying persons against their will to be tortured.
It does little to engender public confidence in the police when it appears that deference to political or intelligence service interference from the London government allows investigation of serious criminal wrongdoing to be sidelined.
Yours sincerely
J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
See related link on Celtic News ? here:
J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
07/01/2013
For comment or clarification on this news item in the first instance contact:
General Secretary, Celtic League:
gensec@celticleague.net
The General Secretary will determine the appropriate branch or General Council Officer to respond to your query.
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The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on a broad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on socio-economic issues
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