Attempts by the Government to have the text of the European Parliament draft report on CIA renditions changed to say Ireland was "proactive" in addressing the issue have been condemned by the Irish Anti-War Movement (IAWM).
Irish Anti War Movement statement
The report was drafted by the parliamentary committee set up to investigate the illegal transfer of terrorist suspects.
The Irish Timesreported today that Fianna Fáil MEP Eoin Ryan will table amendments to the draft report into the use of European airports for the CIA's illegal programme of transferring terrorism suspects to secret interrogation centres.
One of the amendments commends Ireland's "proactive policy in relation to extraordinary rendition, in particular its early engagement with the US authorities on the subject" and "congratulates the Government of Ireland for the timely measures it took directly after the first allegations were made".
The IAWM said Fianna Fáil was "trying to brazen out its collaboration with the US/British Alliance.
"These shenanigans will not only make our country the laughing stock of Europe but will also be repudiated by the vast majority of the MEPs, including not only the Left but also the liberals and the European People's Party," the statement said.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern was involved in heated exchanges at a hearing of the special parliamentary committee chaired by Italian MEP Claudio Fava last month.
Mr Ahern said the committee did not have "one shred of evidence" that renditions had taken place through Irish airports and said an inter-departmental investigation found Ireland had no "involvement or complicity" in renditions.
Mr Ryan said today he wants the report's reference to "147 stopovers" made by CIA-operated flights deleted. He also wants a change to the draft report's statement that it "deplores" the stopovers.
Mr Ryan's amendment wants the condemnation of Ireland dropped and for the report to say there is a "lack of evidence that prisoners have been transferred" through Ireland.
Labour MEP Pronsias De Rossa has been highly critical of the Government's policy and also plans to table amendments today, which includes an endorsement of the Irish Human Rights Commission's view that Ireland is failing to observe human rights by not inspecting suspect planes.
The final draft report is due to be put to a vote of the committee on January 23rd next year.