Euro-MPs focus on Italian 'torture flight' developments

12.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 4th Sep 2006

As the European Parliament committee investigating extraordinary rendition by the CIA in Europe reconvenes, its vice-chair and Liberal Democrat European justice spokeswoman Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP called once again for governments across Europe to come clean on their involvement in torture flights and illegal detention.

Italian journalist Carlo Bonini from 'La Repubblica' newspaper is set to appear on Monday September 4th before the CIA Committee. He is expected to shed light on recent developments in Italy regarding the 2003 abduction and rendition to torture in Egypt of Abu Omar which was allegedly orchestrated by CIA agents with the involvement of their Italian counterparts.

In June the Milan prosecutor arrested senior officials from the Italian secret service while in July the EP committee's 'rapporteur' Claudio Fava MEP received death threats. Bonini and other journalists working on the Abu Omar case were last week interviewed for 10 hours by Italian judicial authorities.

Baroness Ludford commented:

"The developments in Italy show just how high the stakes are, with the denial of involvement by the Italian authorities not standing up to scrutiny. "

"This serious investigation effort must now be reproduced across the Europe. The public has a right to know whether their governments share responsibility for the sinister practice of torture flights."

"Euro-MPs will continue to push to uphold Europe's democratic values in the face of the intransigence of some governments, including the UK."