EU Committee Criticizes Members On CIA Flights

January 23, 2007 -- A special committee of the European Parliament today approved a report saying that Britain, Poland, Germany, Italy, and other EU countries were aware of secret CIA flights over Europe taking terror suspects to third countries.

The document, which will be voted on next month by the entire European Parliament, criticizes member states for "failing to fulfill their European obligations, such as the respect of human rights."

It also accuses EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and other officials of failing to reveal all they knew about the CIA's detention program.

The probe began in November 2005 following allegations that CIA agents sent terror suspects through European airports and airspace to secret detention centers where they may have faced torture.

The report did not find proof supporting allegations that some detention centers were located in Poland -- a charge that prompted the start of the probe.

(AP, dpa)