Boeing is alleged to be a travel agent for torture

[Newsjock]

http://seattleweekly.com/news/0648/boeing.php

Since 2003, human-rights investigators and news media reports have described a Boeing Business Jet as one of the most-dreaded planes in the Central Intelligence Agency's clandestine air force. The modified 737—a model rolled out in Renton in 2001—was built for executive fun and comfort. But it is alleged to be the flagship of the CIA's "extreme rendition" squadron, ferrying suspected terrorists to secret agency prisons or countries where the U.S. is said to outsource torture.

The use of this jet, with a 6,000-mile flying range and plush customized cabin, has until now been Boeing's only connection to the prison airlifts. But a British author and an ex-prisoner's attorney say that records uncovered by Spanish investigators show Boeing has a more direct role—planning and organizing the flights through a unit of its Seattle commercial airplane division.

Boeing won't confirm or deny the claim. But the Spanish documents, and an investigation by Amnesty International and the Council of Europe, indicate Boeing was making arrangements for as many as 1,000 rendition flights through 14 countries by four CIA planes, including that notorious Boeing Business Jet.

"Travel agent for the CIA seems the right words," Stephen Grey says of Boeing's role. A British author, he has written about prisoner rendition and the CIA's global torture program in his new book, Ghost Plane, in which he has documented about 90 rendition flights. (Amnesty International estimates "hundreds of victims" wound up at CIA "black sites.")

... Grey says he plans to soon post on the Internet "assorted aviation documents including Jeppesen planning data" that confirm Boeing's role (Update: Grey posted the flight logs today at http://www.ghostplane.net ). The documents include, he says, a 2004 Boeing-arranged flight on the Boeing jet from Morocco through Spain and on to Afghanistan, which coincides with the Masri case.

[mom cat]

1. K&R ... This is very important.

[crickets]

2. echoing mom cat

It's one thing if the CIA buys planes from a company. This is quite another thing entirely. I'm just sitting here shaking my head wondering WHY Boeing would do this. Wikipedia isn't the be-all of information on the net, but it's usually a solid starting point, so I wandered over. It didn't take long to connect the first dot.

"The Boeing Business Jet is a 50/50 partnership between Boeing Commercial Airplanes and General Electric."

Oh.

[Liberal In Texas]

5. GE builds the engines.

"The aircraft is powered by two CFM International CFM56-7 turbofan engines in wing-mounted engine pods. CFM is a joint venture of General Electric Co. of the US and Snecma of France."

from - http://www.aerospace-technology.com/projects/boeing737_NG/

[malaise]

3. Kick

them where it hurts

[mogster]

4. Pic

The caption for this pic:
"Criticism silenced: CIA tried to pressure Germany and the EU from protesting against Morocco, which the US saw as an important ally in the fight against terrorism. In exchange Germany was to get access to a Al-Queda suspect in prison in Morocco. This picture of a Boeing 737 with registration N313P was specifically mentioned in Dick Marty's report on the CIA prison transport and torture prisons."
From this Norwegian article:
http://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/2006/10/26/480938.html

See also this post:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=1376141

[Liberal In Texas]

6. Registration changed:

"N313P (cn 33010/1037) This is one of the aircraft involved in the CIA Flights affair as reported in international press media. After that mess the aircraft changed its "owner" to Keeler and Tate Management and was re registered as N4476S."
from - http://www1.airliners.net/open.file?id=0798841&WxsIERv=Obrvat%20737-7RG%20OOW&Wm=0&WdsYXMg=Hagvgyrq%20%28Cerzvre%20Rkrphgvir%20Genafcbeg%20Freivprf%29&QtODMg=Cnyzn%20qr%20Znyybepn%20%28-%20Fba%20Fna%20Whna%29%20%28CZV%20%2F%20YRCN%20%2F%20YRFW%29&ERDLTkt=Fcnva&ktODMp=Znepu%2012%2C%202004&BP=1&WNEb25u=Gbav%20Znevzba&xsIERvdWdsY=A313C&MgTUQtODMgKE=Guvf%20vf%20bar%20bs%20gur%20nvepensg%20vaibyirq%20va%20gur%20PVN%20Syvtugf%20nssnve%20nf%20ercbegrq%20va%20vagreangvbany%20cerff%20zrqvn.%20Nsgre%20gung%20zrff%20gur%20nvepensg%20punatrq%20vgf%20%22bjare%22%20gb%20Xrryre%20naq%20Gngr%20Znantrzrag%20naq%20jnf%20er%20ertvfgrerq%20nf%20A4476F.%20Guvf%20cubgb%20vf%20havdhr%20nf%20vg%20jnf%20gnxra%20gur%20qnl%20nsgre%20gur%20Znqevq%20greebevfg%20nggnpx%20va%20Znepu%2011gu%202004%21%21%21&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=16520&NEb25uZWxs=2005-03-18%2016%3A53%3A38&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=33010%2F1037&static=yes&width=1024&height=693&sok=JURER%20%20%28ert%20%3D%20%27A313C%27%29%20%20BEQRE%20OL%20cubgb_vq%20QRFP&photo_nr=1&prev_id=&next_id=0729019

A check with the FAA site for looking up registration numbers says:
"N4476S is Deregistered." And the previous registration was for an A36, a single engine Beech.

Curious.