US 'torture jet' flies from UK

[emad]

By Andrew Gilligan, Evening Standard
1 March 2005

An aircraft used by the CIA to illegally abduct terrorist suspects has frequently operated from two British RAF bases.

The Gulfstream jet has flown from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire at least twice and RAF Northolt at least six times since October 2002, according to Chris Yates, aviation security editor for the authoritative Jane's Information Group.

Mr Yates and opposition MPs say there is "no way" that the purpose of the flights could have been unknown to the British authorities.

"There is absolutely no doubt about the accuracy of the data," said Mr Yates. "What it tells me is that the UK government is probably complicit in what was going on in terms of the disappearance of people."

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/16949314?source=Evening%20Standard

[Say_What]

1. Headline reminded me of the Chilean torture ship La Esmeralda

<clips>

Chile: The "Esmeralda" torture ship

The Chilean naval training ship "Esmeralda" (Buque Escuela "Esmeralda") makes yearly training voyages visiting ports around the world acting as a "roving" embassy for Chile. In April of this year the "Esmeralda" embarked on its 48th training voyage, with plans to call at ports in Latin America and Europe, including Germany, France, the UK and Spain. These voyages have taken place both during the military government and in the years since the return to civilian rule.

Over the years, as part of Amnesty International's work against the gross human rights violations committed in Chile during the military government, the organization has documented and published a number of testimonies of victims tortured on the "Esmeralda". One of the victims of torture on the "Esmeralda" was a British-Chilean priest, Michael Woodward. He died as a result of the torture he was subjected to by members of the security forces on board the "Esmeralda".

In recent years, there has been considerable international interest in the "Esmeralda" and on Chile in general by the media due to the detention and extradition proceedings in the United Kingdom in 1998 against Augusto Pinochet.

To date thousands of victims of torture during the period of the military government who survived their ordeal have not been acknowledged by the authorities and are still asking for official recognition and justice, including those who were victims of torture on the Esmeralda. The Chilean government and high ranking navy officials have continued to deny that naval ships and installations were used as torture centres.

http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR220082003?open&of=ENG-CHL


Father Michael Woodward, who died after torture aboard the Esmeralda, was remembered along with 110 political prisoners held aboard the ship in the aftermath of the September, 1973, coup in Chile.

[NNN0LHI]

2. But what about all those Russian human rights abuses, eh? n/t

[DemoTex]

3. Bu$h comments on human rights (and keeps a straight face) ...

Our country is one that safeguards human rights and human dignity,
and we resolve our disputes in a peaceful way.
George W. Bu$h (Bratislava, Slovakia, 2/24/2005)


Safeguarding human rights and human dignity.


Resolving disputes in a peaceful way.

(Thanks BartCop!)