'No records' of alleged CIA flights via Britain

MINISTERS yesterday failed to allay suspicions about British complicity in the CIA's alleged "ghost flights" of terrorist suspects to third countries for torture.

Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, tried to dispute widespread reports that the US intelligence agency has made frequent use of British airports while transporting detainees. He said the government had no record of Washington asking formal permission for such operations, known as "rendition" or "extraordinary rendition".

Mr Straw, who was heading off to Brussels for European Union summit talks, added: "Records suggest that there have been no such flights through UK territory."

But, in parliamentary answers, the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Transport have said that if landing planes do not unload cargo or passengers, no record is kept of their contents or destination. That, according to opposition MPs, means Mr Straw has no idea whether UK facilities, including Glasgow and Prestwick, have been used.

Sir Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrat deputy leader, whose questions exposed the government's incurious attitude to CIA flights, said: "I do not doubt the good faith of the Foreign Secretary in this matter, but because there are no records and because there are no requests, that doesn't mean to say that extraordinary rendition may not have been taking place."