LONDON, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- The CIA reportedly asked Germany to quell European Union protests about Morocco's role in an alleged U.S. anti-terrorist torture program.
Britain Guardian, quoting one instance from Stephen Grey's "Ghost Plane," said Germany wanted to see a German citizen, an al-Qaida agent held in a Moroccan cell. In return, the United States demanded Berlin "avert pressure from EU" over reported human rights abuses in Morocco.
Morocco was described as a "valuable partner (to the United States) in the fight against terrorism."
Berlin eventually saw the detained suspect, who was arrested in Morocco in 2002 as an alleged organizer of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. EU countries later adopted a policy of downplaying human rights criticism in countries where terrorist suspects were held.
The disclosure was among fresh revelations about the so-called "secret rendition" contained in Grey's book. The author first revealed details of secret CIA flights in the Guardian a year ago.
