EU Governments must come clean on CIA torture programme - Hoofdinhoud

Following a request by the ALDE group, MEPs today heard statements by both the European Commission and the European Council on EU Governments' involvement in the CIA's torture programme. A resolution by the European Parliament on this matter will now be drafted for the February plenary session.

Sophie in't Veld, 1st Vice President of the ALDE Group and a former member of European Parliament's Temporary Committee on the alleged use of European countries by the CIA for illegal activities (TDIP) commented:

"The former EU leaders who were members of the Five Eyes and Nine Eyes club, for example Tony Blair, must now be questioned about their knowledge and role in the CIA's torture programme. Future prosecutions should not be ruled out, here or in the US."

"To their eternal shame, we know that all Member States were to some extent involved, some more, some less, but all were aware of the main elements of the programme. Those countries should now come clean as well and show accountability for their actions."

"The statements of the head of the European intelligence agency IntCen are very astonishing. He says that they have no way of knowing if information has been obtained through torture. It is high time IntCen sheds light on its activities, and it must be subject to parliamentary scrutiny as a matter of urgency."

Photo: CreativeCommons, Scott