AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL has accused the Government of ignoring the rule of law and misleading the public over the use of Shannon airport by US aircraft involved in rendition flights, following disclosures contained in leaked US diplomatic cables.
A third cable relating to the use of Shannon was made public last week. It detailed how, in a 2004 meeting with the then deputy head of mission at the US embassy in Dublin, a senior Irish official said the Government’s legal advisers have to conclude that Ireland had violated torture conventions if US aircraft transiting through Shannon were found to have been involved in rendition.
In another cable, from 2007, then minister for foreign affairs Dermot Ahern is described as appearing “quite convinced” that at least three such flights had passed through Shannon.
“It is now undeniable that the Irish Government knew rendition flights transited Ireland and that they knew this breached the legally binding convention on torture. Yet they did nothing,” said Colm O’Gorman, director of Amnesty’s Ireland branch.
“Despite personal reservations, legal opinion, political opposition, public outcry and unimpeachable evidence, the Government put diplomatic relations with the US above the rule of law.
“We have repeatedly called for an independent investigation into the use of Shannon airport. This investigation must also make clear who knew that we were complicit in torture and why they failed to act.”
The Labour Party’s Michael D Higgins said the revelations in the leaked cables reinforced the case for new legislation to “ensure that even when there is a government without the mettle to stand up for Ireland’s commitments to human rights, Irish airports are not used in rendition circuits . . .”