Countries deny CIA prison camp claims

Romania and Poland have denied claims the US is operating secret detention centres on their soil where al Qaeda suspects are being held. They were among eight countries named in media reports where the covert prisons are alleged to be. An EU Commission spokesman said the claims were being investigated.

“The only thing we can say is, as far as the treatment of prisoners is concerned on the territory of EU member states, it is clear that all 25 member states, having signed up to the convention on human rights and to the international convention against torture, are due to respect those measures,” he said.

The Washington Post, which did not itself name Poland or Romania, said its report was based on information from officials in the US and elsewhere. The Red Cross has called for access to all foreign terror suspects being held at undisclosed detention centres.

“We are concerned about the fate of a certain number of people held in undisclosed places of detention. We have asked for notification and access to all persons, detainees in relation with the so-called global war on terror,” a spokeswoman said. US officials declined direct comment on the reports, which are likely to stir up fresh criticism of the Bush administration’s treatment of terrorism suspects.

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