WP: E.U. Seeks Details On Secret CIA Jails

E.U. Seeks Details On Secret CIA Jails

By Glenn Kessler
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 1, 2005; Page A16

The European Union cited possible "violations of international law" by the United States in requesting that the Bush administration clarify media reports and "allay parliamentary and public concerns" about secret CIA prisons and the transporting of al Qaeda suspects in Europe, according to a letter from British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

The brief letter, written by Straw because the United Kingdom currently holds the E.U. presidency, makes no accusations and carefully refers only to media characterizations. It does not mention the myriad investigations launched by governments and European institutions since The Washington Post disclosed last month a secret CIA prison system operating in Eastern European and other countries. The British government has not released the letter, but it was provided by diplomatic sources.


State Department spokesman Sean McCormack, who has declined to confirm or deny existence of the CIA detention centers, said the administration would respond "to the best of our ability." He set no timetable for a response, but European officials said they hope Rice makes public her reply before she departs next week on a five-day swing through Europe.

"I am writing to you on behalf of the European Union following media reports suggesting violations of international law in the alleged U.S. detention or transportation of terrorist suspects in or through E.U. member states," Straw wrote, noting that it had been recently discussed by E.U. foreign ministers. "The reports have attracted considerable parliamentary and public attention. The E.U. would therefore be grateful for clarification the U.S. can give about these reports in the hope that this will allay parliamentary and public concerns."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/30/AR2005113001806.html