1.25.2006
Keeping up with todays theme of Extraordinary Rendition is the post from Talk Politics.
They post in full the memos that appeared in the New Statesman in the past week. These memos were leaks from the FCO regarding the processes of rendition and extraordinary rendition.
If you want the unadulterated posts, they are here in PDF. Other wise the talk politics post has some commentary interspersed with the memo on their post.
I will give just a brief intro with the first minute of the first memo to appear.
Dear Grace,
Detainees
Summary
1. An explanation of what is normally meant by "Rendition'1 and "Extraordinary
Rendition", though these are neither legal nor precise terms. Discussion also of their
legality: Rendition could be legal in certain limited circumstances; Extraordinary
Rendition is almost certainly illegal. Further advice, too on what we and the US
mean when we talk of "torture" and "cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment" (CID).
And to what extent knowledge of, or partial assistance in, these operations (e.g.
permission to refuel) constitutes complicity?
...
“Extraordinary Rendition”
5. The use of this term is even more varied. In its recent letters to Chief Constables and Ministers. Liberty has defined it as transfer from one third country to another. But it is normally used to connote the transfer of a person from one third country to another, in circumstances where there is a real risk (or even intention) that the individual will be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment (CID). Indefinite detention without legal process could be argued to constitute CID.
(Irfan Siddiq) Private Secretary
Ms Grace Cassy 10 Downing Street
Its all so clearly the slimey workings of government, those who reckon it doesnt happen are kidding themselves. Still, as far as I can tell seemingly-illegal extraordinary rendition which is implicitly tolerated or knowingly ignored is one slimey too far.
RR
Categories: Terror, UK, Rendition
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