Monday, January 08, 2018

The Guantanamo Express

An investigation into so-called rendition stopovers was ordered in 2013 by the then Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland. In June 2013 that the flights would be probed by police, he said: “It is very important there should be no dilly-dallying on this matter. I am confident that the police will conduct a thorough inquiry. “The use of torture cannot be condoned. It is against international law and contrary to the common law of Scotland.”

Khaled Sheikh Mohammed, was rendered from Afghanistan to Poland for torture in 2003. Gulfstream jet N379P – dubbed the Guantanamo Express – stopped at Glasgow Airport in March 2003 on the way back from dropping him off at a CIA torture prison in Poland known as Detention Site Blue.

Police began investigating at least six stopovers – four at Prestwick airport and two at Glasgow.

 Police Scotland detectives, who have been investigating ever since have yet to even receive a declassified US report on the flights –years after asking for it.

Dr Sam Raphael, of research group The Rendition Project, said: “They are clearly dragging their heels in some way. We are now approaching five years since the Lord Advocate in Scotland directed that police should investigate this."

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