Sussex police and criminal renditions

I received a letter from the Committee against Criminal Renditions (a group based in Sussex) which was addressed to the police authority. "Rendition" is the euphemism used by new Labour for subcontracting out torture.

The committee expressed concern that the Authority establish, clearly and directly, what had been going on at Gatwick.

In particular, it asked:

1: Was a deliberate policy of co-operation with the United States Government established by the Sussex Police?

2: Was this policy sanctioned and authorized by the Sussex Police Authority? If so, by who, and on what date?

3: Was the matter of Sussex Police being possibly involved in illegal renditions at Gatwick ever known to any Members of the Police Authority? If so, by whom, and were any discussions held by the Authority, with respect to this? In particular, did you, yourself, as the operational Executive of the Authority, know?

4: At any point, did anyone else at the Authority, whether Members or Officers, know about this matter, and if so, what did they know, and when did they know it?

5: Was the Authority prepared to take effective steps to ensure a clear and binding policy was established that prohibited the Sussex Police from any involvement whatsoever in these illegal renditions, in the future?

6: The committee asked, very specifically, if the Authority would carry out this requested investigation within 28 days. Also, asked, was would it publish for public distribution, it’s report?

All of these very clearly stated questions, submitted previously, in this committees letter of 16th December, 2005, have been completely and utterly ignored by the Authority.