Sunday

3rd Dec 2023

European courts may challenge US terror renditions

Three European countries are considering judicial inquiries into potential criminal offences related to CIA operations in Europe.

The cases have been underway for some time, but gained increasing attention after recent press reports that the US intelligence agency, the CIA, has held suspects in covert detention centres in eastern Europe.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

Already in March, a judge from the Spanish island of Majorca opened a criminal investigation after a local newspaper reported a series of visits to the island's international airport by planes known to regularly operate for the CIA.

The Spanish national court will now be asked to consider whether the CIA was routing planes carrying terror suspects through Majorca as part of its so-called rendition program, involving secret kidnappings of terror suspects, reports the New York Times.

Italy and Germany are also considering judicial inquiries into potential criminal offences related to CIA operations in Europe.

The Bush administration could see a formal request from Italy to extradite 22 past and present CIA operatives accused by a Milan prosecutor and judge of kidnapping a radical imam nearly three years ago.

Italian justice minister Roberto Castelli said after a visit to Washington on Thursday that he would see the legal papers and then decide whether to forward the extradition request to the US.

In Germany, a separate investigation has been opened into the February 2003 kidnapping of an imam known as Abu Omar.

The man was picked up in Milan, taken to an Italian air base then put aboard a military flight to Germany and finally ended up in Cairo.

The Aviano air base in Italy and the Ramstein air base in Germany are both home to US air force units.

The German prosecutor, Eberhard Bayer, whose district includes the Ramstein base, is now studying the evidence before deciding whether a crime was committed.

MEP debate

Today (14 November) members of the European Parliament will debate the reports of secret CIA detention camps in Europe, following a statement from the European Commission.

Last week the Council of Europe in Strasbourg appointed Swiss liberal politician Dick Marty to examine the existence of alleged secret American detention centres for terror suspects.

The United Nations' special rapporteur on torture, Manfred Nowak, might also launch an investigation.

The Austrian said last week that if reports of the CIA's activities proved correct, then the agency was engaged in a "systematic practice of enforced disappearance," according to the New York Times.

Brussels denies having no 'concern' on Spain's amnesty law

The Spanish government remains secretive about its negotiations with pro-independence Catalans, but claims the EU Commission has "zero concerns" about their proposed amnesty law for Catalan separatists. The EU executive denies that.

Opinion

Dubai's COP28 — a view from the ground

Discussion of the biggest existential threat humanity has ever faced is barely mentioned on billboards or signage in Dubai — yet visitors are made aware quite quickly that t world rugby sevens tournament is imminent.

Opinion

Dubai's COP28 — a view from the ground

Discussion of the biggest existential threat humanity has ever faced is barely mentioned on billboards or signage in Dubai — yet visitors are made aware quite quickly that t world rugby sevens tournament is imminent.

Opinion

'Pay or okay?' — Facebook & Instagram vs the EU

Since last week, Mark Zuckerberg's Meta corporation is forcing its European users to either accept their intrusive privacy practices — or pay €156 per year to access Facebook and Instagram without tracking advertising.

Latest News

  1. Israel's EU ambassador: 'No clean way to do this operation'
  2. Brussels denies having no 'concern' on Spain's amnesty law
  3. Dubai's COP28 — a view from the ground
  4. Germany moves to criminalise NGO search-and-rescue missions
  5. Israel recalls ambassador to Spain in new diplomatic spat
  6. Migrant return bill 'obstructed' as EU states mull new position
  7. Paris and Berlin key to including rape in gender-violence directive
  8. What are the big money debates at COP28 UN climate summit?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  3. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  4. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?
  5. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  6. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us