jesuitsdidit
27-12-2009, 12:41 AM
The parliamentary panel report confirmed that the CIA ran at least two black prisons in Lithuania where 'terror suspects' may have been held.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=114664§ionid=351020606
Probe confirms CIA black jails in Lithuania
Sat, 26 Dec 2009 05:51:45 GMT
picDirector of the State Security Department, Povilas Malakauskas
After the unexpected resignation of Lithuania's intelligence chief, a controversial parliamentary probe confirms the existence of CIA-run black jails in the Baltic state.
The parliamentary panel report caused considerable consternation after confirming that the CIA ran at least two black prisons in Lithuania where 'terror suspects' may have been held.
"There were facilities, there were possibilities, there were (CIA) planes, though we can't know what was on board ... Therefore such a possibility exists," said Arvydas Anusauskas, the head of parliament's national security and defense committee, who conducted the investigation.
According to the findings, CIA operatives were provided with two detention centers labeled Project 1 and Project 2: a small unit set up in 2002 that could host only one suspect, and another one that was set up in 2004 and was big enough to hold eight suspects.
Moreover, aircrafts transporting prisoners had entered Lithuanian airspace and landed in the capital, Vilnius, a number of times in 2002-2005.
"Those airplanes were not checked by border police and customs, [and] persons traveling and cargo were never identified," said Anusauskas.
The inquiry, however, found no evidence that the State Security Department had informed Lithuanian government members of its secret association with the CIA. The country's former leaders have also denied having any information of the jails.
In a report published earlier in August, ABC News described Lithuania as the third European country, after Poland and Romania, believed to host secret CIA jails.
CIA operatives reportedly sought to outwit international law and US rules and regulations by setting up overseas detention centers to interrogate terror suspects.
The findings come only a week after the Director of the State Security Department, Povilas Malakauskas, stepped down due to what he called "personal reasons."
His predecessor, Mecys Laurinkus, was also relieved from his post of ambassador to Georgia upon the orders of Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite.
Human Rights groups have criticized the Lithuanian government for not being acutely aware of the secret dealings of its "own agencies."
"The Lithuanian government should have known what its own agencies were doing and is ultimately responsible for the secret prison and any human rights violations that may have taken place there," said Amnesty International.
"The inquiry's findings are only a first step toward accountability," said Julia Hall, Amnesty International's expert on counter-terrorism in Europe.
"The investigation in Lithuania should continue and those persons responsible for any involvement in the secret site must be identified and prosecuted," she added.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=114664§ionid=351020606
Probe confirms CIA black jails in Lithuania
Sat, 26 Dec 2009 05:51:45 GMT
picDirector of the State Security Department, Povilas Malakauskas
After the unexpected resignation of Lithuania's intelligence chief, a controversial parliamentary probe confirms the existence of CIA-run black jails in the Baltic state.
The parliamentary panel report caused considerable consternation after confirming that the CIA ran at least two black prisons in Lithuania where 'terror suspects' may have been held.
"There were facilities, there were possibilities, there were (CIA) planes, though we can't know what was on board ... Therefore such a possibility exists," said Arvydas Anusauskas, the head of parliament's national security and defense committee, who conducted the investigation.
According to the findings, CIA operatives were provided with two detention centers labeled Project 1 and Project 2: a small unit set up in 2002 that could host only one suspect, and another one that was set up in 2004 and was big enough to hold eight suspects.
Moreover, aircrafts transporting prisoners had entered Lithuanian airspace and landed in the capital, Vilnius, a number of times in 2002-2005.
"Those airplanes were not checked by border police and customs, [and] persons traveling and cargo were never identified," said Anusauskas.
The inquiry, however, found no evidence that the State Security Department had informed Lithuanian government members of its secret association with the CIA. The country's former leaders have also denied having any information of the jails.
In a report published earlier in August, ABC News described Lithuania as the third European country, after Poland and Romania, believed to host secret CIA jails.
CIA operatives reportedly sought to outwit international law and US rules and regulations by setting up overseas detention centers to interrogate terror suspects.
The findings come only a week after the Director of the State Security Department, Povilas Malakauskas, stepped down due to what he called "personal reasons."
His predecessor, Mecys Laurinkus, was also relieved from his post of ambassador to Georgia upon the orders of Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite.
Human Rights groups have criticized the Lithuanian government for not being acutely aware of the secret dealings of its "own agencies."
"The Lithuanian government should have known what its own agencies were doing and is ultimately responsible for the secret prison and any human rights violations that may have taken place there," said Amnesty International.
"The inquiry's findings are only a first step toward accountability," said Julia Hall, Amnesty International's expert on counter-terrorism in Europe.
"The investigation in Lithuania should continue and those persons responsible for any involvement in the secret site must be identified and prosecuted," she added.