Rendition in Ireland

From RTE.

Amnesty International has said Ireland is clearly contravening international law by allowing its territory to be used to facilitate the practice of extraordinary rendition.The group is basing its claim on the findings of its latest report.Amnesty in Ireland claims Shannon Airport was used to refuel an aircraft that the following day was allegedly used to move a man from Iraq to Afghanistan.

Now reading the report here it is pretty harrowing stuff, but there is always a but. The allegation is that the plane used by the CIA refueled in Ireland on its way to Baghdad to pick up the guy. So in Shannon this plane did not have any prisoner in it.

So when Dermot Ahern said this.

The Government has received specific assurances from the US authorities, including US President George W Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, that no prisoners have been transferred through Irish airports, nor would they be without Irish Government permission, he added.

Nothing in this report contradicts this. If they searched this plane they would have found no prisoners. This was a flight by private jet registered by a CIA front company. How was anyone in government or air traffic control or the Gardai supposed to know what this plane was going to do once it landed at its destination. How were they to know that this plane was not a simple business flight. To have stopped this flight landing would be to stop every single private jet going through Shannon. Do we presume guilt and demand proof of innocence.  If we were breaking international law woudn’t stopping every plane landing in Shannon and arresting them for conspircy to commit torture also be breaking international law?

Update: Labours Eamon Gilmore seems to have thought about the report.

 The Amnesty Report also strong reinforces the case for the Irish authorities insisting on the right to inspect aircraft suspected of being involved in extraordinary rendition.

It is difficult to dispute the assessment of Amnesty that Ireland is clearly contravening international law by allowing its territory to be used to facilitate extraordinary rendition. Indeed, I would go further and say that the failure to assert our right to check these planes, leaves Ireland potentially complicit in the kidnap, detention and torture of people against whom no charges have been proven and who, in many cases, are totally innocent.

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The government must now insist on the right to inspect aircraft suspected of being involved in rendition. If, as the United States insists, there are no suspects on these planes, why should they object to this being independently verified by the Irish authorities?

Eamon if they check this plane (something I have no problem with) they would have found no suspects on it as the plane had no suspects on it. It was on its way to get him it did not have him. If the searched the plane they would just have found flight crew. (maybe some hand cuffs but who is to say the flight crew or not just kinky it certainly would not stand up in court on a charge of torture)

Eamon also says.

Serious consideration should also be given to banning from Irish airports any aircraft established to have been involved in extraordinary rendition.

While interesting I doubt it is any good something tells me if the CIA wants to hid the history of a plane it could easily do it. Also are we basing “established to have been involved ” by groups such as Indymedia or like Amnasty or by actually courts of law.