Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Political fallout from CIA flights in Germany

December 6, 2005 -- Political fallout from CIA flights in Germany. According to German sources, on December 15, 2005, the new German Christian Democratic/Social Democratic coalition government will be formally questioned in the Bundestag on CIA activities in Germany. In addition, the German Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has been instructed by the Chancellor, Angela Merkel, to present a report in writing regarding clandestine contacts that the past Gerhard Schroeder government had with U.S. embassy personnel on both CIA activities in Germany and the kidnapping of an innocent German citizen, Khaled el-Masri, by the CIA in Macedonia in 2003. Masri was detained at the infamous "Salt Pit," which is actually an old brick factory, in Afghanistan.

CIA plane and prison scandal continues to rage in Germany. Rice admits "mistakes"

Today in Germany, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice admitted, for the first time, possible mistakes by CIA in Germany with regard to the Masri kidnapping. The European Council is asking all member states to formally make a report on clandestine CIA prisoner transports or secret prison sites in member-states by end of February 2006. All member states are required by law to respond to the questions in a true and complete manner under the European Treaty Agreements. Otherwise, their voting rights can be revoked.