NORTH CAROLINA
STOP TORTURE NOW
PO Box 50345
Raleigh, NC 27650
e-mail via:
contact AT ncstoptorturenow.net
(919) 834-4478
(evenings, or messages during business hours)
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North Carolina Stop Torture Now is a grassroots coalition individuals representing themselves and a diversity of faith, human rights, peace, veteran, and student groups across the state.
We aim to stop torture everywhere, and have worked since 2005 to expose and end North Carolina's central role in the accleration and escalation of U.S. torture programs guided by the Bush Administration.Our special focus has been on the "torture taxis" of Aero Contractors, Ltd. of Smithfield, and Centurion Aviation of Fayetteville. Both are nominally private companies linked to the operation of aircraft in clandestine support of the CIA’s extraordinary rendition program. Extraordinary rendtion is a phrase that disguises the kidnap, detention and torture of individuals alleged to be enemies of the United States, including those guilty of nothing other than being misidentified.
Aero Contractors' headquarters is located at the Johnston County Airport near Smithfield, NC.***
Rep. Price authors, Reps. Miller & Watt co-sponsor bill to repeal Military Commissions Act, Close the Guantánamo Bay prison camp, and Prohibit Private Contractors from any role in Detention or Interrogation of Detainees
Congressman David Price (D-4th District, NC) again demonstrated his leadership in fighting to end the U.S.-sponsored torture program, by submitting legislation that would repeal the Military Commissions Act, close Guantánamo Bay, and prohibit private contractors from any role in detention or interrogation of detainees.
Among co-sponsors are North Carolina Representatives Brad Miller (D-13th District) and Mel Watt (D-12th District), and Representative Rush Holt, Chair of the Select Intelligence Oversight Panel Committee Appropriations, whom Price had earlier urged to hold hearings investigating Aero Contractors.
Constitutents are urged to write or call Price, Watt and Miller to thank each for his leadership and learn how best to support this legislation.
Read the propoed legislation for yourself.
Price's press release on the bill.
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Reporter: Extraordinary Rendition Program Ongoing
Sept 18 – Jane Mayer, reporter for The New Yorker and author of The Dark Side, interviewed on WHHY's Fresh Air answered Terry Gross's question about whether the extraordinary rendition program is ongoing this way:
"The Bush administration describes (extraordinary rendition) as one of it's most useful tools and ... they've never apologized for it ... and they continue to argue that it's legal ..."
Near the close of the interview, Mayer summarized the importance of Maher Arar's case: "In the view of Canada and in the view of Syria ... two countries that probably agree on very little ... they agree that Arar was not a terrorist ... (but) because of this extra legal process ... an innocent man was locked up in the equivalent of a grave and beaten for almost a year ... and might still be there if not for the protests of his wife."
Listen to the entire interview and an interview with Maher Arar.
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Airport Vigil a Success
Nearly twenty-two NCSTN members and allies, including at least three Johnston County residents, and an ally from Robeson County gathered during a 4-hour vigil concurrent festivities at the Johnston County Airport's annual Open House.
In deference to a request from airport officials and out of concer for the saftey of pilots and their young passengers, we stopped giving out helium balloons, and instead distributed informational literature and engaged many Open House visitors in one-on-one conversation.
Johnston County Sheriff's deputies even advocated on our behalf to allow the display of the large banners we use every month at the vigils along Business Highway 70.
Unfurled: Activists display a banner near the entrance to the Johnston County Airport Open House. The balloons we hoped to distribute appear at the upper right.
The orange ones read: "Stop JNX Torture Flights! Investigate Aero Contractors."
Until we stopped giving them away, each child was asked to choose a color, and parents were told plainly about the message on the orange dirigibles.***
Second Circuit to hear Arar case
Canadian torture victim Maher Arar has been given an unexpected - and very rare - opportunity to take another crack at winning redress from the Bush administration in a New York court.
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals announced yesterday it would convene the circuit en banc December 9, for another hearing of Arar's claims. Arar is an Ottawa engineer who was tortured and jailed in a Syrian prison after being whisked out of JFK Airport in September 2002, under a U.S. practice known as "extraordinary rendition."
"This is good news," said Maria LaHood, of the New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights lawyer, who represents Arar.
Arar is seeking unspecified damages in a lawsuit that names, among others, John Aschroft, who was attorney general when Arar was rendered; Larry Thompson, the deputy attorney general who signed the rendition order; and Tom Ridge, a potential vice-presidential running mate for Republican John McCain, who was head of Homeland Security when Arar was rendered.
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JOIN US at our next Meeting
2-4 p.m., Sunday, October 19
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh
3313 Wade Avenue***
Thanks to persistent encouragement from his constituents, Congressman David Price (D–N.C., 4th District) joined his colleague Congressman Mel Watt (D-N.C., 12th District) in demanding an investigation of Aero Contractors, Ltd. support for the ongoing torture program.
Indeed, Price upped the ante and called for a Congressional inquiry. Price has long been a leader in checking this administration's abuse of power, and today insisted that North Carolina's support of CIA snatch and torture squads be investigated.
The letter Price wrote the Intelligece oversight chairs, followed up on a June 6 letter that 56 members of the United States House of Representatives sent U.S. Attorney General Mukasey urging appointement of a special prosecutor to investigate this administration's authorization of torture.
The Washington Post reported that "the lawmakers cited what they said is 'mounting evidence' that senior officials personally sanctioned the use of waterboarding and other aggressive tactics against detainees in U.S.-run prisons overseas. An independent investigation is needed to determine whether such actions violated U.S or international law, the letter stated."
The Post goes on to highlight text of the letter reading:
"Despite the seriousness of the evidence, the Justice Department has brought prosecution against only one civilian for an interrogation-related crime ..."
"Given that record, we believe it is necessary to appoint a special counsel in order to ensure that a thorough and impartial investigation occurs.On May 1, the FBI's Assistant Director for Congressional Affairs, Robert Powers, wrote Congressman Watt in response to his April 23 demand that FBI Director Robert Mueller update the House Judiciary Committee on the investigation into Aero Contractors' support of the extaordinary rendition program hearing, April 23.
According to the FBI, that agency has been waiting on guidance from the Department of Justice since October 2006, when North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Director Robin Pendergraft referred the matter to them.
Watt also noted during questioning of Mueller that North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper had repeated Director Pendergraft's referral in 2007 as follow-up to an inquiry from 22 state legislators, and that three Aero employees had been indicted in Germany.
What is the Department of Justice doing? Why aren't other members of the North Carolina Congressional delegation demanding to know when crimes being committed in this state will be investigated?
Please take a moment to write your Congressional representative and ask him or her to echo and amplify the demand that Congress initiate the investigation the DOJ refuses to launch.
In your letter, emphasize that even though the authors and perpetrators of the administration's torture policy may be immune from prosecution, Congress must put the truth before the American people and lead us forwards towards offering victims apologies and reparation.
Contact information for the NC Congressional delegation
(courtesy of NC Peace Action)
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updated 06 October 2008, JMcI