The EU will look into whether the CIA ran secret 'war-on-terror' prisons on the soil of EU members.
An excerpt from the BBC story:
The US has come under pressure over allegations that the CIA ran secret jails for terror suspects abroad and flew some through European airports.
The committee's inquiry will run alongside the investigation by human rights watchdog the Council of Europe.
The 46 members of the new committee are set to be announced on Thursday.
Their mandate will include analysing:
- Whether the CIA has carried out abductions, "extraordinary rendition", detentions at secret sites, torture, inhuman or degrading treatment of prisoners on EU territory or flown prisoners through, to or from member states
- Whether such actions violated human rights treaties
- Whether there have been detentions of citizens from EU states or candidate countries
- Whether EU member states or institutions have been involved in the illegal deprivation of the liberty of individuals.
If any evidence of involvement is found, the parliament could open sanctions proceedings that could lead to the loss of EU voting rights.
Human Rights Watch has said it has circumstantial evidence suggesting that the CIA transported suspects captured in Afghanistan to Poland and Romania - both of which have denied the claims.
For another perspective, here's a Jan. 16 AP story on CTV.ca: Insufficient evidence of CIA jail: Switzerland.