Daily archives: March 26, 2006


Macedonian minister refuses to collaborate in CIA Probe

By Aleander Balzan in the EU Observer

“I have just learnt, to my regret, that the Macedonian Minister of the Interior, Ljubomir Mihailovski, does not want to meet the delegation of the European Parliament’s temporary committee,” said socialist MEP Claudio Fava in a statement. Claudio Fava is the rapporteur of the European Parliament committee created in January to investigate alledged CIA activities in Europe.

A group of EU lawmakers were planning to visit Macedonia in April, after a German citizen of Lebanese origin claimed that he was arrested by CIA agents in Macedonia.

On 13 March, Khaled el Masri gave his testimony during a sitting of the temporary committee on the alleged activities in European countries by the CIA. Khaled El- Masri said that he was arrested by CIA agents in Macedonia in December 2003, flown to Afghanistan and held there for months. Following five months of alleged torture he was than declared innocent and released in Albania.

In the European Parliament, members from the main conservative group challenged his allegations and insisted that he had no proof while liberal deputies accused the conservatives of trying to undermine the work of the committee.

“To find the truth about this case and about other likely cases of ‘extraordinary rendition’ is both political and moral obligation for our committee or for any European country,” added Mr Fava.

Allegations of illegal CIA activities in Europe were first voiced in November last year, after a Washington Post report said that the CIA used camps in Eastern European countries to interrogate terrorist suspects. Later on, the NGO, Human Rights Watch, reconfirmed the allegations, adding that interrogation methods amounting to torture could have been used.

Washington has neither confirmed nor denied the allegations over secret prisons in Europe but has denied using or condoning torture.

View with comments

‘Talking to Terrorists’ a review of the US production

Craig Murray portrayed in the American version of 'Talking to Terrorists'

From South Coast Today

The Sugan Theatre Company is producing the American premiere of one of the most thought-provoking political plays to come down the pike in a long while.

“Talking to Terrorists” by Robin Soans challenges a basic assumption held by many since 9/11–that terrorists are subhuman and should be treated as such. It’s an easy conclusion to reach and it may have made it easier to hunt down terrorists with few legal restrictions. But it has led to serious problems, such as the mistreatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, a controversial Iraq war, and a steep decline in how the United States is viewed by its allies.

There are serious questions as to whether this approach to terrorists is leading to less terrorism worldwide or actually fueling it.

“Talking” proposes that it’s fueling it and that it would be far more effective to talk and listen to terrorists without condoning their horrendous acts.

(more…)

View with comments