EU: A senior MEP yesterday backed allegations that the CIA had kidnapped and illegally detained terror suspects on EU territory and flown them to countries that used torture.
"The CIA has, on several occasions, clearly been responsible for kidnapping and illegally detaining alleged terrorists on the territory of member states, as well as for extraordinary renditions," Claudio Fava said in his interim draft report of the European Parliament's probe into the alleged CIA abuses.
The Washington Post last November alleged the CIA had run secret rendition flights and secret prisons in eastern Europe for al-Qaeda suspects, prompting a spate of investigations which had so far failed to produce a "smoking gun".
But earlier this month the Council of Europe said at least one European state had admitted to handing over terrorism suspects to foreign agents, and that there was evidence pointing to the existence of secret flights.
After hearing several of the alleged victims of kidnapping and renditions, the MEPs' interim report produces no smoking gun but comes to the same conclusions. Mr Fava said it was unlikely several European governments were unaware of the CIA activities, specifically pointing at Italy, Sweden and Bosnia.
The MEP said laws in the EU concerning secret services and monitoring of air space and foreign aircraft were insufficient.
"Over 1,000 flights operated by the CIA transited through our territory," Mr Fava told a news conference.