Germany, EU want answers to CIA allegations (AP) Updated: 2005-12-15 11:48
Germany said Wednesday that it still wanted a full explanation of the alleged
CIA abduction of a German citizen, as European Parliament members said an
investigative committee should determine whether the CIA held terror suspects in
secret European prisons.
Khaled al-Masri, a German citizen of Lebanese descent, says that he was
seized in Macedonia on Dec. 31, 2003, and taken by CIA agents to Afghanistan,
where he was allegedly abused before being released in Albania in May 2004.
Al-Masri is suing the CIA for wrongful imprisonment and torture. At the same
time, the European Union has been roiled by allegations that the CIA held terror
suspects in secret prisons in member nations.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told parliament Wednesday
that the government only learned of al-Masri's case after his release. German
officials also said they did not have enough information to determine whether
the CIA had used German airspace for flights to covert prisons.
European Justice and Security Commissioner
Franco Frattini speaks during a news conference at the E.C headquarters in
Brussels, September 21, 2005.
[Reuters] | Steinmeier, who was chief of staff
under former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder at the time, said German diplomats and
security officials made dozens of requests for information about al-Masri's case
from the United States and other countries.
Federal police had "urged and reminded" U.S. authorities of the request about
a half-dozen times since September 2004, Steinmeier said in parliament.
"All the countries and authorities affected knew that we, Germany, wanted and
want an explanation of what happened," he said. "These efforts have not
relented."
A CIA spokesman in Washington said the agency had no comment.
Senior members of the European Parliament, meanwhile, proposed setting up an
investigative committee to determine whether U.S. agents held terror suspects in
secret European prisons.
Leaders of the political blocs in the EU assembly said they will determine
the mandate and makeup of the committee early next month before putting the
proposal to a vote.
EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini told lawmakers that there was still
no proof that detainees had been illegally held in Europe or transferred to
other countries via EU territory. He cautioned against drawing conclusions
without firm evidence.
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