The CIA is using Baldonnel airport as a stop-over for planes carrying terror suspects, it was claimed today.
Independent Senator David Norris told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs that the Department of Defence was sending fuel bills from the Air Corps headquarters in west Dublin to CIA shadow companies in central Africa.
Senator David Norris
Mr Norris branded US president George Bush and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice as liars on the issue.
Mr Norris told the committee: "There is now speculation that the CIA is using Baldonnel for these rendition flights and that the Department of Defence is sending bills for the fuel to CIA shadow companies at post office box numbers in Central Africa.
"This is the extent to which our involvement is mired further in this appalling filth."
Mr Norris said Mr Bush and Ms Rice has misled the public on the rendition flights issue.
Senator David Norris
"George Bush and Condoleeza Rice are confirmed, consistent and deliberate liars. They have lied and we know this perfectly well."
The committee also heard claims that the Government's support for the war in Iraq is putting Dublin at risk of a terrorist attack.
Peace activists protesting at the use of Shannon Airport by US military planes said the capital could be a retaliation target by victims of the conflict.
The Mid West Alliance against the War today called on the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee to carry out a full investigation into the stop-over of CIA planes carrying terror suspects en route to alleged torture camps.
Spokesman Edward Horgan said: "The decision by the Irish Government to support the war being waged by the US puts the Irish people as a whole, and the people of Dublin city in particular, at risk of retaliation by those who perceive themselves to be the victims of the US-led war.
"The transit of very dangerous military cargoes and munitions through Shannon is also putting members of the public and Shannon airport employees at grave risk."
"Some of these prisoners are believed to have died under torture or been killed following torture."
Seanad leader Mary O'Rourke said: "There have been incidents of which we would not be proud as a country. The democratic process benefits from people questioning things. We're not all cloned dolly sheep bobbing our heads up and down."
The US Ambassador has been invited to appear before the committee and Senator O'Rourke said she expected him to attend.
"He's an employee of the State Department and he takes his orders and does his job," she said.
Green Party chairman John Gormley said George Bush was a puppet of a neo-conservative troupe in the White House.
"The war is continuing in Iraq with horrendous casualties, mostly the citizens of that country," he said.
Senator Pascal Mooney said the removal of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was a good thing and he pointed to the 80 per cent voter turnout for the recent democratic elections in the country.