Tuesday, January 10, 2006

More on the Athens abductions (part V)


/ investigations /

While the Greek government stands firm in its denial that nothing happened, or that if it did it knew anything about it, apparently there is an ongoing investigation regarding this matter (and the Uzbekistan documents) in Britain.

I received an email from a reader (who wished to remain unnamed) that informs me that:

...the Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) is meeting tomorrow, Wednesday 11 January 2006.

One of the items on their agenda is the question of the lies told by Jack Straw to the FAC on two issues:

1. CIA flights landing in the UK - Jack Straw has denied that any CIA flights have landed in the UK. This has turned out to be untrue.

2. British Embassy Athens staff, including Nicholas Langman, involved in the interrogation of 28 Pakistanis in Athens - Jack Straw denied that any FCO staff were involved. This has also turned out to be untrue.


The reader has forwarded a response by the FAC's Chair, Mike Gapes, that states the following:

You ask two direct questions:

1. What can be done to ensure that action is taken against Mr Straw and that he does not lie in future? For example, would you please raise this issue at the next FAC meeting at which Mr Straw is present?

I will invite the Committee to consider Mr StrawÂ’s evidence in the light of the subsequent newspaper reports when it next meets, on 11 January.

2. From where can I obtain a) the truth about CIA flights which landed in the UK and b) the details of the interrogation and torture, by British Embassy staff, of 28 Pakistani citizens in Greece?

On (a) the Foreign Affairs Committee has been asking questions about the apparent use by US agencies of UK airspace and territory for the purposes of rendition for the last year, without obtaining satisfactory answers – see, for example, paras 88 to 98 of its Report of last April, at www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmfaff/36/3607.htm#a14. As for (b), I understand from press reports that the Intelligence and Security Committee, chaired by Rt Hon Paul Murphy MP, is likely to be examining these allegations.


Meanwhile back in Greece, it looks like the way this will be handled is through threats and coercions. Kathimerini reports that:

Some of the 28 Pakistani migrants living in Athens that claim to have been abducted and tortured by security forces are allegedly coming under pressure from their embassy to withdraw the accusations in what has become a sensitive issue for both Greece and Pakistan.


In fact the Athens daily Eleftherotypia suggests that both bribery and intimidation are being used to "close" this uncomfortable for the government case:

"The Pakistani immigrants [who claim to have been abducted] are alleging threats regarding the extension of their visas and their legal status in Greece, as well as tempting bribes in order to revoke their initial testimonies regarding their secret interrogations...
Their lawyer... intends to file a complaint... denouncing the attempt to tamper with evidentiary material an naming the persons who have tried to convince his Pakistani clients to revoke their testimonies..."


In related news, the Greek police and anti-terrorist services, allegedly acting on a tip by US intelligence sources, have detained and questioned a number of Pakistanis, about possible terrorist attacks against US targets in Athens. At the same time a member of an anti-racist and civil liberties group in Athens was arrested and threatened by police officers. It doesn't take much imagination to view all this as part of an intimidation effort. Whether it will turn out to bsuccessfulul remains to be seen.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

In related news, Deputy Public Order Minister Markoyiannakis called the judge probing the Pakistani immigrants' allegations a "fool" and "illiterate", comments that were caught on tape and aired on tv. He subsequently resigned. Well, if treating immmigrants like cattle isn't enough to force you to resign,calling a judge a fool at least will! LOL

One asshole down, a few hundred more to go....

Anonymous said...

In related news, Deputy Public Order Minister Markoyiannakis called the judge probing the Pakistani immigrants' allegations a "fool" and "illiterate", comments that were caught on tape and aired on tv. He subsequently resigned. Well, if treating immmigrants like cattle isn't enough to force you to resign,calling a judge a fool at least will! LOL

One asshole down, a few hundred more to go....

Anonymous said...

You are a big malaka with small dick.

Readers, attention, this malaka is a shithead communist. He says lies, that Greece is supporting Pakistani Al-Qaeda. It\'s a big lie! Only a few malaka commies like this one, support the Pakistani Al-Qaeda. All Greeks support USA and Europe in the fight against terrorists. And of course we do so, because we want our lifes, as anybody else too! These few malaka commies with small dicks are so shithead idiot anti-americans, that they support Al-Qaeda to kill us all, just because they don\'t like Americans! Fuck the commies and their idiot anti-amaricanism, and fuck Al-Qaeda! If you like Al-Qaeda, go to Afghanistan, we don\'t want terrorist supporters in our country! This big malaka with small dick says lies, all lies. He even insults the Pakistani immigrants themselves, because even themselves refused to support the lies about \"CIA kidnappers\" he is saying! Even the Pakistanis in Greece don\'t support Al-Qaeda; only this big malaka with small dick supports Al-Qaeda. He lies all the way. The minister gave the full documents and facts; the police made only legal investigations; and this big malaka with small dick has been proven totally lieing! Fuck him, his commies, his idiot anti-americanism and his Al-Qaeda! Greece is a democratic country and we don\'t allow these terrorists preparing and commiting their crimes.

Greek citizens against islamist, communist and nazi terrorism

talos said...

Dear Greek Citizens Against Islamist Communist and Nazi Terrorism (who I shall therefore refer to as GCAICNT for obvious reasons), thank you for your kind words. It's amazing that you didn't really fucking bother to read what I wrote - well not really amazing since you demonstrably possess the intelligence of a frog on thorazine. I won't bother addressing your fan mail in detail but to note dear GCAICNT, that you preoccupation with penis sizes, speaks volumes about the source of your real problems, which you should address with proper counselling.

I would further add that, should any further correspondence fail to either address something I've actually written, be civil, or manage to amuse me a bit more, it will be discarded. This is BTW what will happen to the other two copies of this comment that you've spread on previous threads.

I wish you a pleasant evening of fun and games with your fellow crackheads, and better luck with your sexual partners.

Frank Partisan said...

You have been covering this issue really well. Your enemies seem to be noticing.