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Call to halt CIA "terror flights"

Ian Cobain, Stephen Grey and Richard Norton-Taylor

British MPs from all parties prepare campaign.

BRITISH MPs from all parties are planning to campaign against the CIA's use of British airports and RAF bases when abducting terrorism suspects who are then flown to countries where they are allegedly tortured. An all-party group is to be established this autumn to coordinate the campaign and to inquire into the extent of Britain's support for the operations, which are said to violate international law.

The development was announced as the U.N. began inquiring into the operations, known in U.S. intelligence circles as "extraordinary renditions," and as an investigation by the Guardian uncovered the extent of British logistical support.

Andrew Tyrie, Conservative MP for Chichester, is setting up the group after demanding information from the British Foreign Office about the U.K.'s involvement in U.S. prisoner operations. He said: "I am appalled by what appears to be growing evidence of complicity by the British Government in torture of terrorist suspects or people whom the U.S. may have information on, which could assist them to prosecute the war on terror. I do not think the information that comes from torture is reliable, but more importantly, the use of such practices undermines the values we espouse. The damage to those values is far greater than any benefit we might gain from these practices."

Chris Mullin, Labour MP and former British Foreign Office Minister, said of the use of British airports: ``If the Government's policy is against rendition, and I believe that to be the case, then we must make that clear. The franchising out of torture is wholly unacceptable.'' He added that while the CIA may have legitimate reasons to fly in and out of the U.K. on other businesses, ``unless we can clarify what is legitimate and what is not, it may be that the best thing is for them to be kept out''.

The Guardian's investigation established that aircraft used by the CIA in renditions have flown in and out of the U.K. at least 210 times since the attacks of September 11. Some of those flights were connected to the abduction of terror suspects.

About 150 men have been abducted over the last four years and flown to countries where torture is common. A few have been released, and have given harrowing accounts of their treatment. Human rights lawyers say the operations violate the U.N. convention against torture, and say the CIA agents involved may also be in breach of the U.K.'s 1988 Criminal Justice Act. —

© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004

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