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Navy Contracted for Ghost Air Jets

The Associated Press has obtained documents showing that the Navy secretly contracted for Gulfstream jets to fly detainees to other countries for interrogation. This means that the military, not just the CIA was involved in the secret rendition process:

A branch of the U.S. Navy secretly contracted a 33-plane fleet that included two Gulfstream jets reportedly used to fly terror suspects to countries known to practice torture, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

The Navy issued classified contracts to ten U.S. companies, including two that flew detainees to Egypt and other places:

At least 10 U.S. aviation companies were issued classified contracts in 2001 and 2002 by the obscure Navy Engineering Logistics Office for the "occasional airlift of USN (Navy) cargo worldwide," according to Defense Department documents the AP obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Two of the companies -- Richmor Aviation Inc. and Premier Executive Transport Services Inc. -- chartered luxury Gulfstreams that flew terror suspects captured in Europe to Egypt, according to U.S. and European media reports. Once there, the men told family members, they were tortured. Authorities in Italy and Sweden have expressed outrage over flights they say were illegal and orchestrated by the U.S. government.

Here's more:

Two of the companies -- Richmor Aviation Inc. and Premier Executive Transport Services Inc. -- chartered luxury Gulfstreams that flew terror suspects captured in Europe to Egypt, according to U.S. and European media reports. Once there, the men told family members, they were tortured. Authorities in Italy and Sweden have expressed outrage over flights they say were illegal and orchestrated by the U.S. government.

While the Gulfstreams came under scrutiny in 2001, what hasn't been disclosed is the Navy's role in contracting planes involved in operations the CIA terms "rendition" and what Italian prosecutors call kidnapping. "A lot of us have been focusing on the role of the CIA but also suspecting that certain parts of the armed forces are involved," said Margaret Satterthwaite, a New York University School of Law researcher who has investigated renditions.

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  • Display: Sort:
    Re: Navy Contracted for Ghost Air Jets (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:16 PM EST
    Is this a big surpirse to people?

    Re: Navy Contracted for Ghost Air Jets (none / 0) (#2)
    by Darryl Pearce on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:16 PM EST
    They're only going after bad guys, right? I mean, guys who aren't good, right? I mean, they're going to leave alone those they consider not good enough, right? ...right?

    Re: Navy Contracted for Ghost Air Jets (none / 0) (#3)
    by desertswine on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:17 PM EST
    What a little twist it would take for these fine people to be disappearing their own countrymen out of the country.

    Re: Navy Contracted for Ghost Air Jets (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:17 PM EST
    The military is up to its neck in war crimes. There aren't any big surprises, because we already know what criminals the Bush mafia and their willing military chiefs are. All we're lacking is a little justice. No ranking military have been punished for any of the war crimes and torture, and neither have the Joint Chiefs or Air Force brass (who supplied not one, but TWO, count 'em TWO, jets for the Nine-eleven Trifecta treason). But, there is a sunrise, and when that light of truth rises over the Bush Carnage, there will be a moan across America, and the Republican party leadership can kiss their sweet arses goodbye. We may not be able to punish the military, but for sure we can punish politicians.

    Re: Navy Contracted for Ghost Air Jets (none / 0) (#5)
    by aw on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:17 PM EST
    But, there is a sunrise, and when that light of truth rises over the Bush Carnage, there will be a moan across America,
    The real rapture!

    Re: Navy Contracted for Ghost Air Jets (none / 0) (#6)
    by john horse on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:17 PM EST
    Another scandal. Another stain on the honor of our country. Wasn't it embarassing enough for Americans to see the President of the United States have to apologize to the Islamic world after Abu Ghraib? Why does the Bush administration keep doing things that are against what our country stands for?