‘Torture flights’ not using Baldonnel air base

CLAIMS that Baldonnel air base is being used by the CIA to re-supply its “torture flights” were last night strongly denied by the Defence Department.

The Government insisted Ireland had been given assurances that no “extraordinary rendition” flights were going through the Air Corp HQ base or anywhere else in the State.

The move followed reports that CIA Gulfstream, Boeing and McDonald DC9 jets, which are alleged to be used to transport terrorist suspects to countries like Egypt where they are tortured, have been refuelling at Baldonnel, Co Dublin.

It was claimed payments for facilities at the base, including the supply of aviation kerosene, are billed by the Department of Defence to a post office box rented by the US embassy in Accra, Ghana. However, the Government has insisted the reports are untrue.

“All bills for the US using facilities go to Lackland Airforce base in Texas. We have not sent any bills to Ghana,” a Defence Department spokeswoman said.

Planes, internationally reported as transporting terror suspects to third countries for interrogation through torture, landed numerous times in Shannon, Freedom of Information documents reveal.