Illegal CIA detentions

European states were complicit in the transport and illegal detention of prisoners by the CIA, according to European Parliament report published yesterday (29 November). The preliminary report by the Parliament’s temporary committee investigating CIA activity also criticised EU governments for not co-operating with the inquiry. EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and counter-terrorism co-ordinator Gijs de Vries were both criticised for the evidence they gave. The former head of Italy’s SISMI intelligence service, Nicolo Pollari, came in for particular criticism for failing to tell the truth about the CIA kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric.

The Finnish presidency of the EU reached a deal with the European Parliament on next year’s budget on 28 November after only one hour of talks.