Extraordinary rendition
In its ordinary meaning, "rendition" means to perform, translate or interpret, but it can also mean to transform, as in the rendering of meat or of graphic images. "Rendition" is also the term given to the process of arresting someone (usually illegally) and torturing them in order to gather information. "Extraordinary rendition" has come to mean the process of arresting someone illegally in one country and transporting them to another country where they can be tortured without apparently breaking laws or eliciting attention.
Thus, it has been asserted that the CIA has arrested possible terrorist suspects in various countries, and has flown them to other countries where the legal situation is such that torturing them to obtain information does not present a problem. Examples are given of Muslims suspected of involvement with al Qaeda being arrested in European countries and then being flown to Pakistan or Afghanistan to be imprisoned and tortured there. Whether or not this process has actually been carried out is controversial.
A program like this was first discussed during the Clinton Administration. But, the CIA and the US Government denies that such a program exists. Condoleeza Rice in 2006 stated categorically that the CIA does not arrest people and transport them to places where they could be tortured. But nevertheless there have been reports of people being "snatched," and of mysterious flights touching down in European capitals and then flying off to unknown destinations. That these flights have been secret CIA prison flights has been denied at the highest levels of several countries, including Tony Blair adamantly denying that he or the Bristish Government would ever allow such a thing to occur.
Nevertheless, several people have come forward to testify that they were arrested in this way and transported to the far east where they were imprisoned and tortured. The question then arises, why if someone has carried out such an illegal action would they then release the prisoner and allow him to tell his story. Even if it transpired that the person was innocent, as they of course claim to be, why would anyone involved in such activities free them to report to the world on their experiences. That indeed is a mystery.
The subject has been the topic of intense scrutiny since the Bush Administration started "the war on terror" after the 9/11 attacks. In 2005, Swiss Senator Dick Marty carried out detailed hearings and concluded that roughly 100 people had been arrested illegally within Europe by the CIA and had been transferred to Pakistan or Afghanistan where they were tortured. However, he could only come up with two well documented cases, that of Abu Omar, a Muslim cleric who was arrested in Milan in 2003 for recruiting for al Qaeda and who was supposedly flown to Egypt, where he disappeared for two years. An Italian investigation ensued and warrants have been issued for some 20 US citizens in relation to this case. Also, the case of Khalid al-Masri, a Kuwaiti-German citizen, who was arrested in 2003 in Macedonia, and was supposedly taken to Afghanistan where he claims he was tortured and when his captors realized their mistake that he was in fact innocent of any connection to terrorism, he was released. This case has been widely reported and has been termed a case of "erroneous rendition." Al-Masri is now suing the US Government for false imprisonment. There have also been UN and US investigations into these "extralegal imprisonments."
Whether or not this program actually took place and how many suspected terrorists were arrested in this way is unknown. But, I for one am glad that the terrorists out there know that they could be snatched at any moment and whisked away to a place of torture. Torture, as long as it does no permanent damage to the detainee, has been approved by both the US and Israeli Supreme Courts in cases of "ticking time bombs" when there is imminent fear for the lives of innocent civilians. There is no doubt that democracies have a hard time fighting back against ruthless terrorists, and this is one way in which they are apparently doing it.
Thus, it has been asserted that the CIA has arrested possible terrorist suspects in various countries, and has flown them to other countries where the legal situation is such that torturing them to obtain information does not present a problem. Examples are given of Muslims suspected of involvement with al Qaeda being arrested in European countries and then being flown to Pakistan or Afghanistan to be imprisoned and tortured there. Whether or not this process has actually been carried out is controversial.
A program like this was first discussed during the Clinton Administration. But, the CIA and the US Government denies that such a program exists. Condoleeza Rice in 2006 stated categorically that the CIA does not arrest people and transport them to places where they could be tortured. But nevertheless there have been reports of people being "snatched," and of mysterious flights touching down in European capitals and then flying off to unknown destinations. That these flights have been secret CIA prison flights has been denied at the highest levels of several countries, including Tony Blair adamantly denying that he or the Bristish Government would ever allow such a thing to occur.
Nevertheless, several people have come forward to testify that they were arrested in this way and transported to the far east where they were imprisoned and tortured. The question then arises, why if someone has carried out such an illegal action would they then release the prisoner and allow him to tell his story. Even if it transpired that the person was innocent, as they of course claim to be, why would anyone involved in such activities free them to report to the world on their experiences. That indeed is a mystery.
The subject has been the topic of intense scrutiny since the Bush Administration started "the war on terror" after the 9/11 attacks. In 2005, Swiss Senator Dick Marty carried out detailed hearings and concluded that roughly 100 people had been arrested illegally within Europe by the CIA and had been transferred to Pakistan or Afghanistan where they were tortured. However, he could only come up with two well documented cases, that of Abu Omar, a Muslim cleric who was arrested in Milan in 2003 for recruiting for al Qaeda and who was supposedly flown to Egypt, where he disappeared for two years. An Italian investigation ensued and warrants have been issued for some 20 US citizens in relation to this case. Also, the case of Khalid al-Masri, a Kuwaiti-German citizen, who was arrested in 2003 in Macedonia, and was supposedly taken to Afghanistan where he claims he was tortured and when his captors realized their mistake that he was in fact innocent of any connection to terrorism, he was released. This case has been widely reported and has been termed a case of "erroneous rendition." Al-Masri is now suing the US Government for false imprisonment. There have also been UN and US investigations into these "extralegal imprisonments."
Whether or not this program actually took place and how many suspected terrorists were arrested in this way is unknown. But, I for one am glad that the terrorists out there know that they could be snatched at any moment and whisked away to a place of torture. Torture, as long as it does no permanent damage to the detainee, has been approved by both the US and Israeli Supreme Courts in cases of "ticking time bombs" when there is imminent fear for the lives of innocent civilians. There is no doubt that democracies have a hard time fighting back against ruthless terrorists, and this is one way in which they are apparently doing it.
posted by Jack Cohen at 7:28 PM
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