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Spain denies illegal CIA flights through its territory

Dec 5, 2008, 13:53 GMT

Madrid - The Spanish government Friday denied allegations that the United States had illegally flown terrorist suspects via Spain to its military base in Guantanamo, Cuba. 'There has not been nor will there be violations of human rights on earth, sea or air' under the current Socialist government, Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega said. The conservative opposition earlier claimed that nine out of 11 flights organized by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) took place under current Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who took office in 2004. The opposition made the allegations following the publication by the daily El Pais of a 2002 top secret Foreign Ministry document in which the former conservative government appeared willing to allow US planes carrying prisoners to make stopovers in Spain. The Defence Ministry said this week that US military planes en route to Guantanamo through Spain did not carry 'controversial' passengers or cargo. The Foreign Ministry meanwhile finished an investigation into the flights which it launched following the publication of the secret document. It was due to hand its conclusions over to the National Court, and to inform parliament about them in the coming week.

Europe News

Spain denies illegal CIA flights through its territory

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