Amnesty Claim Rendition Plane Refuelled At Shannon

Amnesty International has revealed it has evidence that proves Shannon Airport has been used for co-called CIA "rendition" flights.

The human rights group claims that it has obtained flight records showing that a jet operated by the US intelligence agency refuelled at the airport in January 2004; and also, that the plane was transporting a man who was kidnapped in Iraq and flown to a secret interrogation centre in Afghanistan, before being moved to Guantanamo Bay.

According to the organisation, Ireland is making a mockery of international law by allowing its territory to be used to facilitate the practice of "extraordinary rendition".

Khaled al-Maqtari underwent multiple forms of torture and ill-treatment after his capture. His case shed new light on the cruel and illegal methods of the CIA's secret detentions programme.

In response, a spokesman for Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern said the Government is totally opposed to the practice of extraordinary rendition and has reiterated its position on numerous occasions, both domestically and internationally.

The US government has defended the practice saying very few detainees have been questioned under such circumstances, but assured the Irish Government that no prisoners have been transferred through Irish airports, nor would they be without the state's express permission.

Amnesty has demanded the Government establish a proper inspection regime at Shannon Airport to ensure that facilities cannot be used in this way in the future.

Mr al-Maqtari, 31, was subsequently freed without charge from US custody in and returned to Yemen, where he was detained until May 2007.

(VB/JM)