'Torture flights' dossier unveiled

Scotsman | January 18 2006

A dossier on so-called torture flights through Scottish airports has been published by the Scottish National Party.

Nationalists said the report, which lists 10 firms that have allegedly operated as CIA shell companies, was compiled by a senior aviation expert.

Plane types, registration numbers and the dates they are supposed to have landed at Prestwick, Glasgow and Edinburgh airports are detailed in the dossier.

It comes as a Council of Europe human rights investigation said last week that the CIA breached international law by transporting prisoners to foreign countries for interrogation.

SNP foreign affairs spokesman Angus Robertson MP accused Scotland's First Minister Jack McConnell of turning a blind eye to the issue.

Among the planes identified in the SNP report is a Gulfstream jet (registration number N379P/N8068V), dubbed the "Guantanamo Bay Express", which was reportedly used to transport suspects to the US prison in Cuba. The plane landed five times at Glasgow and Prestwick airports between 2002 and the end of 2004, according to the dossier.

It also identifies a DC9 plane (registration N822US) which has been the focus of debate by the Norwegian government and the Canadian parliament. The plane is listed in the report as landing at both Glasgow and Prestwick airports in 2002 and 2003.

Mr Robertson 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 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."

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