UK Green MEP Jean Lambert, who was a member of the European Parliament's CIA Committee delegation to the US earlier this year, has today urged European Government's engaged in CIA activities to immediately come clean following US confirmation of secret prisons.
Jean, who sits on the European Parliament's Temporary Committee of enquiry
in to the CIA 'extraordinary rendition' flights and has been awarded for her
work on justice and human rights, said that in light of the evidence already
established by the European Parliament it came as no surprise that the US had
revealed the existence of CIA prisons.
Jean commented; "The European Parliament delegation to Washington earlier
this year was given assurances by US officials that the US does not 'do extraordinary
renditions'. Yesterday's admission of the existence of secret CIA camps shows
that we have been justified in our scepticism and unwillingness to take US assurances
at face value. The spotlight is now on those European governments that either
bought into the US claims or failed to deny them. They must be completely forthcoming
and engage fully in the investigation of such abuses.
"The inquiry into the alleged CIA 'extraordinary rendition' flights is like a puzzle that is nearly complete. Yesterday's revelation has added another dimension but there are still a few missing questions and issues that must be addressed before we can make a final conclusion. The exact locations of the illegal prisons in Europe must now be uncovered and the Parliament's inquiry should now focus on this."
ENDS
For more information please contact:
Morwenna Holland, Media Officer
tel: 020 7407 6280 or 07813149812
email: media@jeanlambertmep.org.uk
www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk
Notes to editors:
Jean Lambert: In October 2005 Jean was named MEP 2005 for Justice and Human
Rights. Jean was first elected Green Party Member of the European Parliament
for London in the 1999 European elections. She was re-elected in 2004. She is
one of nine MEPs representing London and one of two UK Green representatives
in the European Parliament.