Thursday, November 17, 2005

Sonderkommando

Swedish political leaders have expressed outrage over reports that aircraft used by the CIA have touched down at several airports here over the past three years.

According to the story from the TT news agency, at least one of the planes was used at the American Guantanamo base, probably for transporting prisoners.

Sweden has been highly critical of the treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo. In response to the TT story, Left Party leader Lars Ohly asked why Sweden is involved with the CIA at the same time that the CIA is conducting business that all of official Sweden has distanced itself from.

A leading Green Party member of parliament said Swedish air space should not be available to the “Abu Ghraib commando”, referring to the Iraqi prison where American soldiers tortured and abused prisoners.

There have been reactions in Spain, Iceland, Norway, Denmark and other countries after similar reports

In May the “Washington Post” reported that a CIA plane was used here for the controversial deportation of two Egyptians accused of terrorism, and that CIA agents abused the two men while still on Swedish soil.