Michael Scheuer has revealed that the very first "rendition" undertaken by the CIA, under orders from President Bill Clinton, occurred when Abu Talal, a terrorist leader of al-Gama’a al-Islamiya who enjoyed asylum in Denmark, was kidnapped while visiting Croatia in 1995 (where he presumably was relaxing on beaches of the Adriatic?).
It has also been reported that in the early 1990's Denmark was the safest haven in all of Europe for Islamic extremists. In fact, Ayman al-Zawahiri had a post box in Denmark, and was offered political asylum by the danish government.
Since 2004 there has been a constant hum of discontent over the supposed use of Danish Airspace for rendition transports. (More precisely the hum has been in the media - it is doubtful the general public cares that much.) The current government has consistently denied knowledge of the traffic. The opposition has insisted it was impossible that the Authorities were unaware of the true nature of the activity. (Meanwhile the leaders of the opposition, who were in government in the early 1990's also deny any knowledge of the Abu Talal kidnapping!!!)
Knowing what we know of the intentions, public statements, and actions of these criminals it would be irresponsible to continue to offer them asylum instead justice.
Rendition means taking a person from one state to another state as a legal process. Extradition means taking one person from one country to another country as a legal process. To rendite, is to commit to rendition. To extradite to to commit to an extradition. State to state, country to country.
ReplyDeleteHardly anyone anywhere in any type of media has an understanding of this. Many astute persons, even those in the legal profession, who get paid hundreds of dollars an hour make this mistake.
ReplyDeleteFrankly I prefer a the medievel form of rendering...as in drawn and quartered
ReplyDeleteBut the fact is the term as it is bandied about in the media today implies a semi-legal or extrajudicial transfer of individuals across international borders...either way I prefer it to asylum...
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