Six torture flights Five-year probe No further forward
Campaigners Police are dragging their heels over CIA stopover inquiry
Scottish authorities have been accused of dragging their heels over a five-year probe into CIA torture flights.
An investigation into so- cal led rendition stopovers was ordered in 2013 by then Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland.
We can reveal Pol ice Scotland detectives, who have been investigating ever since, have yet to even receive a declassified US report on the flights – years after asking for it.
Police and the Crown Office last week described the investigation as “ongoing”.
We revealed in 2014 that police were investigating at least six stopovers – four at Prestwick airport and two at Glasgow.
When Mulholland informed MSPs in June 2013 that the flights would be probed by police, he said: “It is very important there should be no dilly-dallying on this matter. I am confident that the police will conduct a thorough inquiry.
“The use of torture cannot be condoned. It is against international law and contrary to the common law of Scotland.”
The US Senate issued a partially classified 500page report on the CIA detention and interrogation programme in December 2014.
Police Scotland’s counter-terrorism unit then demanded to see the full 6000-page classified report, which would reveal dates, locations and other details removed from the 500-page version.
The Senate have said in the past that the document is classif ied and could remain so.
Campa igner s have compared the US planes to getaway cars used in bank jobs – and say the investigation into whether they broke Scots law is vital.
Dr Sam Raphael, of research group The Rendition Project, said: “There are very few copies of the unredacted report anywhere. It is not widely circulated and, in that sense, it’s perhaps understandable that Scottish police do not yet have it.
“On the other hand, it is remarkable that this incredible document has been given to so few, if any, investigating agencies around the world.”
He added: “We are working on further data. The information we have so far has been released and the police in Scotland have what we have found.
“They are clearly dragging their heels in some way. We are now approaching five years since the Lord Advocate in Scotland directed that police should investigate this.
“The ongoing police investigation into these f lights remains extremely important. The police must be given access to all necessary evidence.
“We know that CIA aircraft landed in Scotland numerous times during the war on terror.
“We have established beyond doubt that t some of these flights were part of operations o which moved people to secret s prisons for torture.
“Scottish territory was a vital part of these t torture f lights. The question remains: r Can those involved in these serious s crimes be brought to justice?
“We hope Police Scotland remain focused o on this question and are given all the c cooperation they need from authorities.”
The declassified version of the Senate report includes information which nails three flights that touched down in Scotland as being involved in transporting suspects for torture.
One is Khaled Sheikh Mohammed, who was rendered from Afghanistan to Poland for torture in 2003.
Gulfstream jet N379P – dubbed the Guantanamo Express – stopped at Glasgow Airport in March 2003 on the way back from dropping him off at a CIA torture prison in Poland known as Detention Site Blue.
The Pol ice Scotland inquiry was initiated after research drew attention to the use of airports – including Edinburgh, Leuchars, Inverness and Wick – as CIA staging posts.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “The investigation is ongoing with regular updates being provided to COPFS.”
She added that police were “still to receive a copy” of the Senate report.
The Crown Off ice said: “It is a live investigation and, therefore, we’re not in a position to comment further.”
US Senate officials did not respond to a request for comment.
Scottish territory was a vital part of torture flights