Europe 'knew about' CIA flights

The preliminary report from the Council of Europe is saying that the European governments almost certainly knew about the CIA's prisoner flights via European airspace and airports.

The member of the Swiss Parliament who is investigating the matter for the Council of Europe, Dick Marty, has so far not found irrefutable evidence of CIA secret prisons in Europe. He does have lots of evidence about transportation of the prisoners via Europe to third countries.

BBC News story

Mr. Marty is saying in his report what many here in Europe suspected when the story first broke. "It is highly unlikely that European governments, or at least their intelligence services, were unaware."

Many who thought otherwise were hoping for a strong reaction from the EU. The European governements' awareness (and I must say quiet approval) of the prisoner flight program explains, why no such reaction has materialized.

The European Parliament's committee is starting its  investigation into the prisoner flights this week. According to Mr. Marty, the Council of Europe's investigation is also continuing. What I personally now would like to ask the governments of the EU countries is an old question: "What did you know and when did you know it?"

And also, "Why would you let this go on?"