Spring Break
Europe lauds Obama shutdown of secret CIA prisons
Shawn Pogatchnik and Frank Jordans The Associated Press
Issue date: 1/23/09 Section: News
DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) - U.S. President Barack Obama's decision Thursday to shut secret CIA-run prisons abroad brought renewed calls for their locations to be disclosed as well a fresh denial from Poland, one of two eastern European countries most closely linked to the practice.
Across Europe, governments uneasy that CIA flights had been carrying terrorism suspects through their airports and air space for years said they were relieved to be heading into a new rendition-free era.
Dick Marty, the Swiss lawmaker who spearheaded the Council of Europe investigations that sought to expose the existence of clandestine interrogation centers in Eastern Europe and Africa, said he expected the truth would come trickling out once the centers were closed.
"For some countries, things are going to become very embarrassing. I think European countries would do well now to tell the truth," Marty said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Marty said he "would be very surprised" if any CIA-run facilities were still operating in Europe, but added "in East Africa, or Morocco, I might assume there is something." He said Obama's order granting Red Cross officials access to all secret facilities might prove critical in revealing their locations, both past and present.
"I have deep respect for what's happening in the United States now. That's America as we love and respect and admire it," Marty said.
Poland and Romania are the NATO newcomers that welcomed U.S. military deployments and strongly backed former President George W. Bush's "war on terror." One country offered a strong new denial of involvement, while the other kept silent.
"There are no American prisons in Poland," said Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Piotr Paszkowski. "We've said that many times in recent years and our position and statements haven't changed, and we have nothing new to say."
But Zbigniew Siemiatkowski, who directed Poland's foreign intelligence agency until 2004, expressed doubts that Obama's moves would make the West more secure from terror.
Across Europe, governments uneasy that CIA flights had been carrying terrorism suspects through their airports and air space for years said they were relieved to be heading into a new rendition-free era.
Dick Marty, the Swiss lawmaker who spearheaded the Council of Europe investigations that sought to expose the existence of clandestine interrogation centers in Eastern Europe and Africa, said he expected the truth would come trickling out once the centers were closed.
"For some countries, things are going to become very embarrassing. I think European countries would do well now to tell the truth," Marty said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Marty said he "would be very surprised" if any CIA-run facilities were still operating in Europe, but added "in East Africa, or Morocco, I might assume there is something." He said Obama's order granting Red Cross officials access to all secret facilities might prove critical in revealing their locations, both past and present.
"I have deep respect for what's happening in the United States now. That's America as we love and respect and admire it," Marty said.
Poland and Romania are the NATO newcomers that welcomed U.S. military deployments and strongly backed former President George W. Bush's "war on terror." One country offered a strong new denial of involvement, while the other kept silent.
"There are no American prisons in Poland," said Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Piotr Paszkowski. "We've said that many times in recent years and our position and statements haven't changed, and we have nothing new to say."
But Zbigniew Siemiatkowski, who directed Poland's foreign intelligence agency until 2004, expressed doubts that Obama's moves would make the West more secure from terror.
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