Euro-wide CIA plane probe

By Humphrey Carter THE Spanish government came under further pressure yesterday over alleged CIa “terror flights” using Spanish airports, in particular Palma, but the attorny general announced that he can not launch an investigation because there is already an inquiry on-going in Majorca. However, several other European governments yesterday revealed that they too have opened investigations into the activities of the alleged CIA-operated fleet. The primary aim is to establishe whether or not U.S. officials have been secretly using European airport and military bases to transfer terrorism suspects under conditions that vilate European and international treaties. Germany, Hungary, Italy, Morocco, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden have all been linked to the CIA's use of planes for the transit, or rendition, of prisoners allegedly subjected to extra-judicial detention and torture. Yesterday it was confirmed that Spain's Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos will appear before the Congress at an unspecified date to answer questions about the alleged CIA stopovers. The US Senate has asked the CIA to inform it as to the precise nature of its prisoner transport operations.