The Swiss government has acknowledged the authenticity of a fax leaked to the newspaper SonntagsBlick which appears to confirm the existence of secret CIA interrogation camps in Romania, Ukraine, Kosovo, Macedonia and Bulgaria.
A government spokesman said the fax in question intercepted by the Swiss intelligence services included information that was already known publicly but which had yet to be verified.
He refused to give any more details, beyond saying that the cabinet had condemned the leak to the press.
Justice Minister Christoph Blocher said he supported transparency but added that secret documents should remain classified.
On Sunday the newspaper made the intercepted document public, saying the fax was received by the Egyptian embassy in London and that it supposedly confirmed the existence of detention centres.
The message was picked up by the secret service’s Onyx satellite listening system on November 10, just three days after the Council of Europe launched its investigation into allegations that the CIA has been running secret interrogation centres in Europe.
The Egyptian fax stated that 23 Iraqi and Afghan citizens had been transferred to a Romanian military base near the port of Constanza for interrogation purposes. It added that similar detention centres had been set up in Ukraine, Kosovo, Macedonia and Bulgaria.
Ueli Leuenberger, a Green Party member of parliament and expert on human rights, criticised the government’s failure to act on the intelligence.
“The information should have been handed over to Dick Marty [Swiss head of a Council of Europe investigation into the alleged prisons],” Leuenberger told swissinfo.
“The government should also have issued a formal protest to the United States government. It’s precisely because the cabinet didn’t act that the leak occurred.
“These [CIA] violations only encourage those who disregard international law,” he added.
Marty told French-language radio that he “regretted that the occasion was not seized to deplore the use in Europe of undercover methods to combat terrorism”.
“We don’t hesitate to criticise human rights abuses when they take place in Cuba, Tunisia or Myanmar,” he continued.
“But when it comes to a powerful ally, we are so careful that it borders on subservience.”
The Federal Prosecutor’s Office and military prosecutors are investigating a possible breach of official secrets by the SonntagsBlick editor as well as two journalists at the newspaper.
Publishing a secret document can be a violation of Swiss law punishable by a fine or imprisonment.
Dear Mr Murray
What is being done to generate a political force amongst people like yourself – David Shayler – the two facing trial at the moment. Should we all go off paddling our own canoes – or should we perhaps form some sort of alliance of concerned citizens, in favour of peaceful protest only?
I realise the problems which arise from those who infiltrate these sorts of groups with the objective of ensuring that they are manipulated or incited into silliness, or just plain trapped into carrying out questionable acts. However if a group arose, dedicated only to peaceful protest, it should be a little more difficult to undermine a reasonable political voice being raised against the human rights abuses that are now so commonplace, both at home and abroad.
I have witnessed trials in the UK which were far from fair and deliberately held on days when the courts involved did not usually sit – thus ensuring that trials of targetted individuals are held in camera.
I stood as a candidate – independent (NOT UKIP) – in Rutland and Melton at the last election – on an anti-corruption platform. Having got 337 votes, with absolutely no money with which to campaign, I believe there are concerned people who would welcome some alternative to the anodyne and useless parties which appear to be so far in the grip and control of our security services, that they may even agree to having their own phones bugged.
I used to work for the Bow Group and began to realise, as party lists were being introduced, just how much control there is to ensure those with skeletons in their cupboards are the only ones allowed to be recruited into any arena of political activity.
Real political education is denied to most of our young people – Magna Carta is no longer held up as an icon of our unwritten constitution, precisely because much of it has been systematically and ruthlessly abolished by successive governments of both colours.
Having rescued my then husband from possible unethical psych ops experimentation in the Priory Clinic, Rosehampton around 1990 I have found it impossible to gain work at any sort of living wage. The more tactics used the greater the education I have had in just how sinister our society has become. With a degree from Cambridge I am currently fighting to keep a part time job as a telesales person. It would be heartening to know that there is some sort of political will to create a force which cannot be ignored and to which politicians of all parties have to nod at. Green politics should be some sort of inspiration that an organised and reasonable group which gains some popular following might be able to alter our increasingly corrupt and selfish society and lift the veil from our eyes to reveal just how much we are responsible for the current terrorist threat.
I am not entirely sure that I do receive all emails – but just in case I have three -: [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected]
It would be wonderful if you could let me know of any groups which are forming under your aegis – or even groups you are aware of without too many kooky time wasters, which have a real political will to do something positive to rescue us from our woeful political malaise and acceptance of corrupt practices at every level of society.
Yours
Helen