JURIST - Paper Chase: Gonzales defends rendition policy after meeting with EU justice commissioner

[JURIST Europe] US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales [official profile] on Wednesday acknowledged the United States' use of rendition [JURIST news archive] flights but said that rendition was never used to transport a suspect to another country for the purpose of torture. Speaking at a news conference in Vienna after meeting with EU Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini [official website], Gonzales also said that it was important that the public understand that US rendition policy was in compliance with domestic and international law.

Frattini called for transparency in upcoming meetings with members of a European Parliament [official website] special committee [official website], tasked with investigating allegations of illegal CIA activity in Europe, scheduled for next week in Washington. Last week, the committee issued an interim report [PDF text; JURIST report], drafted by Italian MEP Claudio Fava [official website], concluding that the CIA has been involved in renditions and the kidnapping of suspected terrorists within EU territory who were then transported to countries for torture. The findings of the report were based on testimony received from experts, rights groups, and alleged kidnap victims but no concrete evidence has been produced. Reuters has more.

Angela Onikepe is an Associate Editor for JURIST Europe, reporting European legal news from a European perspective. She is based in the UK.

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