SNP reveals ‘CIA flight’ dossier

SNP

The SNP has published a report on suspected US intelligence flights through Scottish airports. The document lists in detail the planes, dates on which they landed and 10 firms which allegedly operated on behalf of the CIA.

The publication comes as inquiries continue into “rendition flights” by the Council of Europe, European Parliament and an all party group of the House of Commons.

SNP Foreign Affairs and Defence spokesman, Angus Robertson MP, has sent the report to First Minister Jack McConnell urging the Scottish Executive to “use every avenue open to it through the criminal justice system to establish whether there has been the illegal transportation of people through Scottish airports and discourage it ever happening in the future”.

The report lists 10 firms which allegedly operate as CIA shell companies and details the plane types, registration numbers and dates which they landed at Prestwick, Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. Among the planes was a Gulfstream jet (Registration number N379P/N8068V) nicknamed the “Guantanamo Bay Express” and was reportedly used to transport suspects to the US prison on Cuba. That plane is listed in the report as having landed five times at Glasgow and Prestwick airports between 2002 and the end of 2004.

The report also lists details about a DC 9 airliner (Registration number N822US) which has been the subject of diplomatic inquiries by the Norwegian government and debate in the Canadian Parliament. The plane is listed in the report as having landed at both Glasgow and Prestwick airports in 2002 and 2003.

Speaking after the publication of the report Angus Robertson MP said:

“There is disquiet across Europe about this whole issue. This report gives worrying details about alleged rendition flights through Scotland. The planes in question have been subject to diplomatic and parliamentary inquiries in different countries. This report establishes that they did pass through Scottish airports.

“The Scottish Executive now has a responsibility to pursue this issue like other governments. Continuing with a “hear no evil, see no evil” policy is just not good enough. In Scotland we are rightly proud of our criminal justice system. Now it should act with our devolved administration standing up to be counted.”

The report has been forwarded to the committees of inquiry established by the Council of Europe, European Parliament and by Westminster MPs. SNP European spokesman Alyn Smith is one of the MEPs nominated to take part in the European Parliament inquiry when it begins later today (Wednesday): 

Alyn Smith said:

“The European Parliament can find information on this issue that national Parliaments cannot, so the SNP enthusiastically backs the setting up of the Parliament’s committee of Inquiry.  I hope to be confirmed as a member of that Committee as it is important that Scotland is represented upon it.
 
“The SNP is working on these flights in the Scottish, London and European parliaments as it is crucial that we get to the bottom of this.  If Scotland is being used as a staging post on illegal flights for dubious purposes then that makes us the bad guys.

“Equally, the Americans are our friends and our colleagues and if they have been playing it straight have nothing to fear from the maximum degree of transparency possible.”