Ireland accused of collusion in CIA rendition scheme

Europe's leading human rights watchdog has accused 14 European countries, including Ireland, of colluding in controversial and illegal "extraordinary rendition flights", allegedly being run by the CIA.

The accusation is contained in a report published today by the 46-nation Council of Europe which says some countries are actively colluding in the programme and others are knowingly turning a blind eye.

Under the rendition scheme, the CIA is alleged to have abducted suspected Islamic militants and transferred them to secret interrogations centres around the world, where they have no protections under US law and where many have allegedly been tortured.

The process is illegal under international law, but in an interim report earlier this year, the Council of Europe said several European states were allowing their territory to be used as part of the scheme.

Today’s report goes further by accusing certain countries of directly colluding in the programme.

It reserves strongest criticism for Romania and Poland, saying there is evidence to suggest some of the CIA’s secret prisons are based in the two countries.

It also says victims of the rendition scheme have been abducted in Italy, Sweden, Bosnia and Macedonia.

Germany, Spain, Turkey and Cyprus are identified as “staging posts” for the transfer of these victims, while Ireland, the UK, Portugal and Greece are named as “stop-off points”.

The Irish Government has said it accepts US assurances that no prisoners have been on board the planes.