Request for Government's position on reports that privately owned planes with possible CIA links have landed in Newfoundland
Posted: 20 January 2006
The Honourable Jean Lapierre
Minister of Transport
330 Sparks Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0N5
November 22, 2005
Dear Minister,
IIn recent weeks there have been reports that privately-owned airplanes that may be linked to CIA operations, including possible extraordinary renditions, have landed on at least two and quite possibly more occasions at a location in Newfoundland.
These concerns arise in the wider context of numerous, credible reports of turboprop airplanes owned or operated by a number of companies including Aero Contractors, Devon Holding and Leasing, Premier Executive Transport Services, Pegasus Technologies, and Tepper Aviation, being used by the CIA to transfer terrorism suspects around the world. There are a range of serious human rights concerns associated with these cases such as the experience of Canadian citizen Maher Arar, who was subjected to extraordinary rendition to Syria by U.S. officials in October 2002, where he was detained for one year without charge or trial and subjected to torture.
Amnesty International would like to know the Canadian government’s position with respect to these reports.
- Has the government looked into these allegations, including the reported landings in Newfoundland of a turboprop with registration number N196D on November 18, 2005, and another with registration number N168D on August 13, 2005?
- Has the government sought clarification from U.S. authorities as to the nature and purpose of any such flights that may have landed on Canadian soil?
- Has the government sought and received reliable assurances that any such flights are not associated with any activities that fail to conform to international human rights obligations? Is the government prepared to refuse landing rights to such flights if assurances are not provided?
I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Alex Neve
Secretary General