Shannon and US rendition flights

Madam, - Now that the Marty report for the Council of Europe has identified Ireland as one of the countries which was used as…

Madam, - Now that the Marty report for the Council of Europe has identified Ireland as one of the countries which was used as a "stop-off point" for planes involved in US rendition flights (The Irish Times, June 8th), will the Government finally put in place a system of flight inspections at Irish airports?

Or will Ireland remain among those countries which, in Dick Marty's words, either "ignored them knowingly, or did not want to know"? - Yours, etc,

HARRY McCAULEY, Maynooth, Co Kildare.

Madam, - I have the utmost concern regarding US rendition flights. I believe the people of Ireland view this issue as extremely important, and I for one do not want to look back on this period and say I didn't do anything when people's lives and international security were at stake.

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Reassurances from the United States that there are no renditions taking place through Irish airspace are simply not good enough. The world is only too aware of US ambivalence towards human rights. Examples are so numerous and well known not to be even worth mentioning.

I am extremely impatient with the Government's pussy-footing on the issue. It is time to take a stand.

I want to know what the Government's plans are for inspection of US military and CIA aircraft passing through Irish airspace. - Yours, etc,

PAUL LEE, Woodbrook, Ballinglanna, Co Cork.

Madam, - It is with a mixture of shame, anger and loathing that I learn of the complicity which the Irish Government, along with Britain, had with the US in facilitating the transport of "terror suspects" to secret detention centres, where they were most likely tortured.

The report for the Council of Europe by Swiss senator Dick Marty makes sorry reading. What international political or economic brown envelope bought such supine and quisling acquiescence?

Shame, shame, shame on them. - Yours, etc,

HUGH O O'KANE, Malone Park, Belfast 9.