Close Guantanamo, says Ahern

The Government believes the US should close down its detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern said.

Mr Ahern said he backed the view of UN secretary general Kofi Annan that "those held in Guantanamo Bay should be either charged or released and that the US should close the facility. This would be highly desirable on human rights grounds."

He told Labour's foreign affairs spokesman Michael D Higgins that closure of the facility would also "serve to reassure all of America's friends, including Ireland, who recognise the importance of the role of the United States as a global leader in combating terrorism and promoting democracy".

The Minister added: "Ireland regards torture as unacceptable and unjustifiable under any circumstances. With regard to the legal basis on which the persons in Guantanamo Bay are being detained, the Government's position on the condition and status of detainees in Guantanamo is clear and has been consistently conveyed to the US authorities."

Mr Higgins pressed the Minister about the legal status of the detention centre, which he believed had no legal basis, "no legal protection for the detainees", and there was a "massive abuse of human rights involved".

Mr Ahern said the US administration "states that it has the legal basis for the presence of the Guantanamo facility. In our view, however, allegations of torture must be investigated. As far as we are concerned, we fully endorse the views of Kofi Annan on the necessity either to charge or release those detained in Guantanamo Bay and that, ultimately, the facility should be closed."

Mr Higgins expressed concern about the Government's report to the Council of Europe about Shannon airport, where Mr Ahern said the Garda had the right to inspect aircraft. The Labour deputy said, however, that senior gardaí had told him and Senator David Norris that under the Criminal Justice (UN Convention Against Torture) Act, 2000, "they do not have the right to enter and inspect aircraft or to arrest anybody in connection with the issue of torture".

Mr Ahern said "it is the strong advice of the Attorney General to the Government that they do", but he added that "Shannon was not used in any way for extraordinary rendition".