Green Party joins calls for investigation of CIA flights

The Green Party has added its voice to growing calls for an investigation into controversial CIA flights using Shannon Airport.

Peace campaigners have logged details of landings at the Co Clare facility by six CIA planes involved a programme to transfer suspected Islamic militants to secret interrogation centres around the world.

Some of the detainees have ended up being abused and mistreated by foreign governments, prompting accusations that the CIA is "outsourcing" torture.

The Irish Government, however, says it accepts assurances from US officials that no prisoners are on board any flights using Shannon Airport.

Despite this, Amnesty International wants the Government to investigate the flights.

Spokesman Jim Loughran said facilitating CIA planes could put Ireland in breach of internat ional law and the Government should not be so willing to accept the assurances of the Bush administration.

Speaking in the Dáil this morning, meanwhile, Green Party leader Trevor Sargent also said Ireland had a duty to verify that planes using Shannon were not carrying detainees to secret prisons where torture is a real concern.

"There is circumstantial evidence pointing to the fact that torture has gone and may well still be going on," he said.