Council of Europe backs call for US plane searches

EUROPE’S leading human rights body has come out in support of recent calls by the Irish Human Rights Commission for the Irish authorities to search US aircraft landing in the Republic.

The Council of Europe yesterday said it backed the position taken by the IHRC in wanting gardaí to carry out their own inspections of US private and military aircraft for the possible irregular transfer of detainees via Irish airports.

The IHRC last month asked the Government to seek agreement with Washington to inspect such aircraft "as a matter of urgency".