[PHOTO: Condaleezza Rice, U.S. Secretary of State, issues statement denying the U.S. uses CIA flights to transport terror suspects to other countries for torture, 5 December 2005, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.] In October 2002, a Gulfstream III with the registration number N829MG (later re-registered as N259SK), was used to fly dual Syrian-Canadian citizen Maher Arar from the US to Jordan en route to Syria. After a year of detention without charge - during which time he was tortured - he was finally released and returned to Canada.The plane in question belonged to one of a number of private companies contracted by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for hundreds of rendition flights since 2001. Like Maher Arar, most victims of rendition - transferring detainees from country to country without legal process - have ended up in countries known to use torture in their interrogations. A number of countries in Europe and elsewhere have allowed these aircraft to land, refuel and take off from their territory. Under international law and standards, all States must act to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. This means they must also ensure that they are not providing direct or indirect assistance to others. The country in Europe - reportedly Italy - which allowed the plane carrying Maher Arar to land and refuel helped enable the human rights violations in his case. Although Maher Arar's flight did not touch down in Canada, other CIA flights have. The Canadian government recently announced that a review of some fifty-five CIA flights which had landed on Canadian soil concluded that there was no evidence of "illegal activities" and that "operational details" of the review would not be made public. European governments, however, appear to be treating the issue more seriously and openly. The Council of Europe appointed a special investigator, Swiss Senator Dick Marty, to examine the concerns about possible CIA flights landing in Europe and the allegations of secret US-run prisons in central and eastern European countries. At least one country, Denmark , has reportedly banned CIA flights from even entering their airspace. Amnesty International is calling on governments to promptly and thoroughly investigate any allegations that their territory has been used to assist CIA-chartered flights secretly transporting detainees to countries where they may face "disappearance", torture or other ill-treatment. Pending the results of such an investigation, all States must ensure that their territory and facilities are not used to assist rendition flights. TAKE ACTION:

Write to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness asking for more information about what laws and standards were applied during the review of CIA flights landing on Canadian soil. You can ask these specific questions: Has the review been limited to considering whether aviation laws had been met? Was there a review of international human rights standards, such as the prohibitions on torture and arbitrary arrest, which are binding on both Canada and the United States ? Has there been any attempt made to ascertain whether airplanes landing in or taking off from Canada have been involved in extraordinary rendition or other activities that may have contravened international law? Have inquiries been made of US officials in an effort to determine the nature and purpose of these flights? WRITE TO:

The Honourable Anne McLellan Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness 340 Laurier Avenue West Ottawa , Ontario K1A 0P8 Fax: 613-952-2240 -- Amnesty International Canada (English speaking) 312 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa, ON, K1N 1H9 Phone: (613) 744-7667 or 1-800-266-3789 Fax: (613) 746-2411 Email: [email]