EU lawmakers back report on CIA terror kidnappings

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EU lawmakers backed accusations on Monday that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency had kidnapped and illegally held terrorism suspects on EU territory and flown them to countries that used torture. Their report draws largely the same conclusions as that issued by the Council of Europe last week, adding to the embarrassment faced by European governments over their possible cooperation with U.S. policies unpopular with domestic opinion.

" ... in a number of cases, the CIA or other U.S. services have been directly responsible for the illegal seizure, removal, abduction and detention of terrorist suspects on the territory of member states," read the text of the report approved late on Monday by a special committee of the European Parliament. The committee has heard testimony from several alleged victims and rights groups. While it has no legal powers, it can recommend political actions against any countries found to have been involved, including the United States.

Its report, compiled by Italian lawmaker Claudio Fava, faced nearly 200 last-minute amendments that had to be debated before the committee approved the final text with 25 votes in favour, 14 against and seven abstentions.
Most of the amendments were technical, although one called for further investigations into the alleged existence of a secret detention facility in Kosovo and the possible involvement of KFOR forces in the illegal detention of terrorist suspects.

Another called on EU governments to "take a stronger stance on the closing of the detention centre in Guantanamo Bay and to take a pro-active role in finding a solution for detainees against whom no legal proceedings will be
brought". The report, as amended, will now be submitted to a full session of the European Parliament in early July.


http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060612/3/2ltbr.html

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