Navy Secretly Contracted Jets Used by CIA

[CountAllVotes]

SAN DIEGO - A branch of the U.S. Navy secretly contracted a 33-plane fleet that included two Gulfstream jets reportedly used to fly terror suspects to countries known to practice torture, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

At least 10 U.S. aviation companies were issued classified contracts in 2001 and 2002 by the obscure Navy Engineering Logistics Office for the "occasional airlift of USN (Navy) cargo worldwide," according to Defense Department documents the AP obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Two of the companies — Richmor Aviation Inc. and Premier Executive Transport Services Inc. — chartered luxury Gulfstreams that flew terror suspects captured in Europe to Egypt, according to U.S. and European media reports. Once there, the men told family members, they were tortured. Authorities in Italy and Sweden have expressed outrage over flights they say were illegal and orchestrated by the U.S. government.

<snip>

Record searches also failed to turn up information on Leonard T. Bayard, whose firm bought Premier Executive Transport Services' Gulfstream. The address of Bayard's firm is the Portland, Ore., office of attorney Scott Caplan.

Asked if his client is a real person, Caplan replied: "No comment."

<snip>

link:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050924/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/secret_planes

[beingthere]

1. very important story

this is such important stuff - don't let it drop - "rendition" has never gotten enough coverage - a sickening, appalling outrage by this sickening, appalling Bush regime

[CountAllVotes]

2. note the timing on the release of this story

After the HUGE hurricane Rita and during the peace march in D.C.

It's called a convenient Saturday afternoon news dump.

Turn you head and look the other way!

This is nothing to worry about - flying torturers around!

:kick:

[beingthere]

3. Exactly, you are so right.

[goforit]

14. Hello and welcome "beingthere"!!!!

Yes this is and has been a horrific 6 years,
Hope a corner will turn for the better.

[Angry Girl]

4. kick & rec

[beingthere]

5. Also, what about after 9/11

Are the planes in this story same, or similar or is there a connection in some way with the secret planes that flew the Bin Laden family out?

[CountAllVotes]

6. there were planes flying around all over at this time

I remember it well - lots of mysterious crashes pre-9/11. Who was on these planes? One ended up in China.

It is most disturbing and I wonder who got flown away from New Orleans too.

I have no idea what secret planes few out bin Laden's family but I would not be surprised if they were possibly the same.

One thing I do happen to know is that one plane was not in the air on 9/11 - one that everyone thought was.

I'll let you guess which one.

:kick:

[spooked911]

9. Just one?

Not all four?

[catzies]

16. Actually, beingthere, flying out the bin Laden faimiy wasn't a secret

or done by a secret airline. Rather, it was done by private charter flights which had to be approved. Which they were. And welcome to DU. :hi:

[ewagner]

7. Kick and recommended

We now have a trail to follow which will lead to the SOB who authorized "extraordinary extradition".

Rummy may have left fingerprints this time...

[DemoTex]

8. Secrecy and lack of accountability ..

Hallmarks of the Bu$h regime. One of these days Bu$h is going to push the military a little too far. I can't believe that there are no more whistle-blowers than there are. There must have been some nasty "examples" made by Bu$h henchmen of a few along the way.

[Henny Penny]

10. Is there anyone in this admin that shouldn't be in jail??

:mad: :mad: :mad: :puke: :banghead:

:kick:

[goforit]

15. LOL!!!!....How could such a few screw it up for the masses?

I guess America has been too comfortable for too long.

[MADem]

11. And you know what the fucking irony really is???

The Navy took it on the chin several years back for using Gulfstreams to do things like take dignitaries from countries where people had been accidentally killed by our government, when according to the beancounters they should have used lousier, louder, smellier, mixed configuration aircraft that were already headed that way.

Why is it that I think that the LOGAIR guys in the Navy offices had this shoved down their throats???? It is not how they like to do business...

A bit "inside baseball" but I smell coercion in all of this.

[slay]

12. Do these Bush-admin assholes ever do anything that is NOT secret?

I can't believe the American people stand for this kind of unprecedented government secrecy - and all on their dime. I'm thinking it's about time to divide up the country - give the Republicans half - tell um good fucking luck, and just be done with them! :mad:

[Rose Siding]

13. Maybe NELO operates with some of the DoD's lost dollars

Naive question, but wouldn't there have to be some congressional oversight of funds for a military office?