Order of Business - 7th December 2005

Order of Business – 7th December 2005

Mr. Norris: I agree with my colleagues about the importance of examining clearly the question of CIA flights through Shannon Airport. I am grateful that we are in the process of setting up a committee to examine this. It seems clear that we have reached a tipping point, that the world community is now gravely concerned and the attitudes of governments are changing in this regard. Last night, President Bush appeared on television and clearly, openly and brazenly lied. He stated that the United States does not render to states that commit torture. Members know that torture has been performed on suspects who have been rendered to Egypt by the CIA. We know this as a result of a Swedish parliamentary report and there can be no question or doubt about it. Members also know that suspects have been taken to Uzbekistan. The British ambassador resigned his post because the Government of Uzbekistan was boiling people. This is absolutely medieval. It is unbelievable.
Some of these aeroplanes pass through our airspace. Some of the people involved are not particularly pleasant and Abu Omar, for example, is a person about whom I have deep and grave doubts. Nevertheless, we still must respect international law. We know he was kidnapped in Italy, taken abroad and has now disappeared in Afghanistan. As that aeroplane was refuelled here on its return, we are already complicit in this cycle. This is an extremely dangerous matter. We have the case of Khaled el-Masri who was kidnapped----- An Cathaoirleach: If the Senator cites all these cases, we will be here for a long time.

Mr. Norris: If I may, I will finish this point, as some things must be stated and corrected. Khaled el-Masri's experiences reflect our points exactly. He was kidnapped, his clothes were slashed from him and he was drugged by the insertion of a suppository. He was then shackled to an aeroplane and was taken to Afghanistan to be tortured.
One other point must be corrected. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is incorrect, in that Ireland is entitled to search aeroplanes under the Chicago Convention of 1944. As a final point, while I am flattered that Senator Ryan has repeated a number of my points, he was slightly incorrect in one or two respects. I am glad he used the Auschwitz analogy, which is appropriate.

Mr. Minihan: Only one or two things? Mr. Norris: He was incorrect with regard to one or two points. For example, regarding the business of torture, what the Americans are now proposing is infinitely worse than what was found at Castlereagh. The Senator is correct to state that the Government took the British Government to court and got a ruling that three practices, namely, the use of white noise, sleep deprivation and hooding, constituted torture.

An Cathaoirleach: Senator Norris, the Order of Business is not the place for this. We cannot have a debate.

Mr. Norris: Hence, Condoleezza Rice also lied yesterday.