CIA Torture Plane back at Shannon

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Wednesday March 05, 2008 11:35

by Edward Horgan, Conor Cregan

N475LC

CIA Torture Plane N475LC was back at Shannon airport last night, 5 March 2008.

Shannon airport is still being used by the CIA or related US government agencies for nefarious purposes. At 0115 this morning Executive Jet N475LC landed at Shannon airport, refuelled quickly and took off again about 30 minutes later. Security at the airport was virtually zero. As Edward and Connor drove past the security checkpoint about a mile before the terminal building we were waved through by a security guard who has no legal authority to stop anyone on this public road. He was neither a member of the Gardai nor an officially authorised Airport Police Officer. We went up to the terminal building which was almost abandoned.

In recent weeks it has been revealed that the US government transported prisoners through 'British' terriroty Diego Garcia without apparently informing the British government (or so the British Government say), and in spite of US government assurance that no prisoners were transported through British territory. Even more serious is the statement in the past few days by Manfred Nowak, UN torture investigator that Diego Garcia was actually used to imprison prisoners captured by the US in Afghanistan or Iraq. This island may even have been used as one the US/CIA torture interrogation centres.
Like the Irish situation, it is likely that certain British officials, including Tony Blair were aware of such abuse of British territory and airspace. However, the US "diplomatic Assurances" were issued for public consumption only.
US military Hercules C 130 may have been the aircraft used to bring prisoners through Diego Garcia. While most attention has been forcused at Shannon airport on the CIA use of 'private' executive jets, for transporting prisoners to and from Guantanamo, there is now growing evidence that US military and airforce Hercules C130 and other military planes were used extensively for transporting prisoners for torture interrogation.
Please excuse the quality of the photos due to late night lighting restrictions.

CIA Torture Plane N475LC Shannon 5 Mar 08 0.06 Mb