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Statewatch News Online: UK airports handled 73 CIA flights

28 March 2012

British airports handled 73 CIA flights (Guardian, link)

House of Commons written answer from the Secretary of State for Transport, Mr Darling. 17 March 2006:

Aicraft Landings

Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions since 1 January 2001 registered aircraft (a) N2189M, (b) N8183J, (c) N970SJ, (d) N129QS, (e) N368CE and (f) N85VM have landedat British airports; and what their (i) origin and (ii) destination was in each case. [57681]

Mr. Darling: None of the information held by my Department provides evidence that these flights were involved in rendition. The British Government is not aware of any cases of rendition through the UK since May 1997, apart from the two cases in 1998 about which the Foreign Secretary has informed Parliament. Since before 9/11 we have worked closely with the US to achieve our shared goal of fighting terrorism. As part of that close co-operation, we have made clear to the US authorities, including in recent months:

(i) that we expect them to seek permission to render detainees via UK territory and airspace (including Overseas Territories);

(ii) that we will grant permission only if we are satisfied that the rendition would accord with UK law and our international obligations, and

(iii) how we understand our obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture.

I refer to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's written ministerial statement of 20 January 2006, Official Report, columns 37-8WS and written answer of 6 February 2006, Official Report, column 784-5W.

Foreign aircraft are required by the Chicago Convention to seek the prior permission of the state before operating commercial flights into another country. Aircraft operating commercial flights to and from UK airports need operating permits from my Department. Our database shows that three of these six aircraft have operated commercial flights in the UK since 1 January 2001. Details are given as follows.

Aircraft/date Route

N129QS

30 June 2003 Paris—Luton
23 February 2005 Washington DC—Stansted—Riyadh
28 May 2005 Stansted—Washington DC
27 June 2005 Luton—Tel Aviv
15 December 2005 Heathrow—Barbados

N970SJ

4 September 20-03 Caracas—Luton
5 February 2004 Madrid—Luton

N368CE

6 May 2004 Newark—Stansted
24 July 2004 Liverpool—Newark

There is no requirement for operating permits for non-commercial flights. However, a flight plan must be filed for all flights that cross international borders. Flight plans are filed with Eurocontrol and I agreed that they should release data to Dick Marty, Chair of the Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee of the Council of Europe, in order to contribute to the inquiry into rendition and 'secret prisons' undertaken by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Eurocontrol released data from all its member states to the Parliament on a confidential basis on 23 January. In agreeing to release I asked for a copy of the UK data which I received in late January. The data shows that four of the six aircraft have also landed in the UK as non-commercial flights. Details are as follows.

Aircraft/date Route

N2189M

23 March 2003 Stephenville—Prestwick
24 March 2003 Prestwick—Frankfurt Main
20 September 2003 Genova/Sestri—Prestwick
21 September 2003 Prestwick—Gander Intl
3 December 2003 Goose Bay—Prestwick
4 December 2003 Prestwick—Frankfurt Main
18 January 2004 Gander Intl—Prestwick
19 January 2004 Prestwick—Amman/Marka
25 May 2004 Praha/Ruzyne—Prestwick
26 May 2004 Prestwick—Gander Intl

N8183J

31 May 2003 Frankfurt Main—Prestwick
1 June 2003 Prestwick—Gander Intl
31 August 2003 Gander Intl—Prestwick
1 September 2003 Prestwick—Frankfurt Main
1 January 2004 Frankfurt Main—Prestwick
2 January 2004 Prestwick—Gander Intl
3 May 2004 Gander Intl—Prestwick
4 May 2004 Prestwick—Iraklion Nikos Kazanzakis
2 November 2004 Frankfurt Main—Prestwick
3 November 2004 Prestwick—Gander Intl
6 April 2005 Gander Intl—Prestwick
7 April 2004 Prestwick—Iraklion Nikos Kazanzakis

N368CE

6 June 2001 Boston/Logan Intl, Massachusetts—London/Stansted
7 June 2001 London/Stansted—Athens/Eleftherios Venizelos
5 August 2001 New York Newark—Luton
5 August 2001 Luton—Bangor Intl, Maine
4 October 2001 Bangor Intl, Maine—Inverness
9 October 2001 Inverness—Bangor Intl, Maine
3 September 2002 Nice/Cote d'Azur—Farnborough
3 September 2002 Farnborough—Nice/Cote d'Azur
4 September 2002 Nice/Cote d'Azur—Farnborough
4 September 2002 Farnborough—Nice/Cote d'Azur
3 September 2002 Goose Bay—Birmingham
30 September 2002 Birmingham—Goose Bay
11 June 2003 New York Newark—Inverness
14 June 2003 Inverness—Gander Intl
17 June 2003 Gander Intl—Luton
18 June 2003 Luton—Riyadh/King Khalid Intl
6 May 2004 New York Newark—London/Stansted
9 May 2004 London/Stansted—Bangor Intl, Maine

N85VM

24 June 2001 Teterboro, NJ—Belfast/Aldergrove
29 June 2001 Belfast/Aldergrove—Teterboro, NJ
4 September 2001 Connaught—Londonderry/Eglinton
5 September 2001 Londonderry/Eglinton—Bedford/Laurence G. Hanscom Massachusetts Field,
16 September 2001 Luton—Geneve Cointrin
14 October 2001 Teterboro, NJ—Leuchars
15 October 2001 Edinburgh—Leuchars
21 October 2001 Leuchars—Farmingdale
26 December 2001 Bedford/Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Massachusetts—Luton
28 December 2001 Luton—Bedford/Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Massachusetts
12 January 2002 Larnaca—London/Stansted
12 January 2002 London/Stansted—Schenectady, NY
28 September 2002 Farmingdale—Leuchars
28 September 2002 Leuchars—Schenectady, NY
5 October 2002 Schenectady, NY—Leuchars
5 October 2002 Leuchars—Farmingdale
12 November 2002 Dubai Intl—Luton
12 November 2002 Luton—Washington
25 November 2002 Kabul—Edinburgh
25 November 2002 Edinburgh—Washington
3 March 2003 Dubai Intl—Glasgow
3 March 2003 Glasgow—Washington
20 September 2003 Farmingdale—Leuchars
27 September 2003 Leuchars—Farmingdale

17 Mar 2006 : Column 2510W

The information we hold on these flights does not include details of passengers or purpose of flight, as this information is not routinely collected.

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