WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- The American Bar Association said Thursday it "objects strongly" to House legislation allowing terror suspects to be sent to countries that use torture.
In a statement, the ABA said it "objects strongly to the inclusion of provisions authorizing 'extraordinary rendition' in the House leadership's bill that purports to implement the 9/11 Commission recommendations."
The Washington Post said the Bush administration is supporting the provision introduced by House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.
But the ABA said the provisions "would permit secretly transferring terrorist suspects to foreign countries known to use torture in interrogating prisoners. Extraordinary rendition not only violates all basic humanitarian and human rights standards, but violates U.S. treaty obligations which make clear that the U.S. government cannot avoid its obligations under international law by having other nations conduct unlawful interrogations in its stead."
The inclusion "also works to undermine our moral leadership in the eyes of the rest of the world," the ABA said.
