First in torture flight?

[struggle4progress]

... This week, a prosecutor's office in Munich issued arrest warrants for 13 people who allegedly were part of a CIA team that kidnapped a German citizen of Lebanese descent who they mistook for a terrorist in a practice known as "extraordinary rendition." ... The suspects are thought to have been crew members of a 737 Boeing Business Jet operated by Smithfield, N.C.-based Aero Contractors, according to the Raleigh News & Observer. The plane is believed to have been stationed in Kinston, N.C. at the Global TransPark, a state- and federal-funded facility created to promote economic development in the eastern part of the state ...

Last month, 22 North Carolina legislators asked state Attorney General Roy Cooper to order the State Bureau of Investigation to probe Aero's involvement with torture. Cooper has not yet taken any action.

But concerned citizens of North Carolina have not given up their efforts to pressure elected leaders into taking action against their state's involvement in human rights abuses. They have launched an online petition asking Gov. Mike Easley, Cooper, the SBI director, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Johnston County commissioners, Global TransPark Authority members, and state lawmakers to withdraw the state's financial support for Aero's activities. That petition is online here.

http://southernstudies.org/facingsouth/2007/02/first-in-torture-flight.asp

[Triana]

1. Ugh....

..this is SO not cool. bytheway, though this is not good news, I love the Institute for Southern Studies/Facing South! They're a great org.

Petition signed. This is just disgusting.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

2. Done, thanks for pointing that out

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

3. GOP Slams State Rep Fisher

http://mountainx.com/blogs/news/2007/02/03/439

Forwarding this one to Top10

[mmonk]

4. I thought it would make a great bumper sticker.

It's hard to believe that at one time, North Carolina would not sign the constitution until there was a Bill of Rights.