North Carolina: Stop Rendition Flights

The information below came in an email from North Carolina Stop Torture Now group.

Chronology of Efforts to Secure Official Investigation of Aero Contractors' Involvement in Kidnapping and Torture

November 18, 2005 - Forty members of Stop Torture Now delivered a "peoples' indictment" to Aero Contractors' headquarters in Smithfield. Fourteen members of the group were arrested for non-violent trespass, and the event was widely covered by the media, including the Raleigh News & Observer. Citizens' indictments delivered to Johnston County Commissioners, County
Manager Rick Hester, the county attorney, Johnston County Airport Authority, and Aero Contractors Board members, including attorney/treasurer of board, Lamar Armstrong.
November 19, 2005 - STN also gathered at the recently completed Aero hangar at the Kinston Global TransPark to call attention to Aero's Boeing 737, used for many CIA rendition flights. At the same time, letters were delivered to several members of the Global TransPark Authority (GTPA) board.

January 5, 2006 - Trial of "Aero 14" in Johnston County, with expert witnesses Rev. Bill Finlator and Daniel Pollitt, law professor emeritus, UNC.

January 6, 2006 - Visibility action at Aero's hangar at GTP, Kinston.

Ongoing since early 2006 - Monthly vigils at several locations: the intersection of U.S. 70 / Business 70, near the Johnston County Airport; Glenwood Avenue near Crabtree Valley Mall; and the Governor's Mansion.

April 5, 2006 - Meeting with Mr. Franklin Freeman, Chief of Staff to Gov. Easley, by five members of NC STN, and George Reed, NC Council of Churches. Mr. Freeman was presented with background information about Aero and rendition, and the Governor was asked to encourage the Attorney General to investigate. Mr. Freeman said he would consult Andy Vanore, an advisor to the Governor. On April 12, 2006, Mr. Vanore informed NC STN there were no grounds to attempt to break the GTPA's lease with Aero, nor to launch a criminal investigation of Aero, because North Carolina's senators and President Bush had indicated that the U.S. government does not engage in torture.

April 5, 2006 - CodePink met with Russ Swindell, aide to U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge, about rendition and other issues.

April 7, 2006 - Vigil outside Governor's Mansion, covered in News & Observer.

April 17 and May 20, 2006 - 'Listening Project' conducted in Johnston County, surveying approximately 250 residents regarding torture.

April /May 2006 - Members of CodePink met with U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole's aide to discuss torture and North Carolina's role in rendition.

May 1, 2006 - Meeting with U.S. Rep. David Price to discuss the policy of torture and the role of Aero Contractors of North Carolina in "extraordinary rendition" flights. Rep. Price received many materials linking Aero to the CIA's outsourcing of torture.

May 2, 2006 - About 15 members of NC STN attended the annual Board Meeting of the NC GTPA in Kinston, NC, and spoke to the entire board, raising the issue of Aero Contractors' involvement in kidnapping and torture and requesting referral for investigation to the SBI. Coverage was obtained in the Kinston Free-Press, other media. (Response on May 5, 2006, by Darlene Waddell, Executive Director of GTPA, refusing request.)

May 2006 - The Democratic County Conventions in Durham, Orange, and Wake passed resolutions against torture, rendition, and Aero Contractors. A resolution was passed at the 4th District Democratic Convention in Durham, calling on U.S. Senators and Representatives to support legislation to ban U.S. transport of CIA detainees via Aero Contractors.

June 20, 2006 - Meeting by NC STN members with GTPA Vice-Chair Gene Conti and GTPA Executive Director Darlene Waddell to request investigation of Aero. No action resulted.

June 24, 2006 - A resolution condemning Aero Contractors' involvement in torture and calling for investigation was passed at the NC State Democratic Convention in High Point, NC.
August 15, 2006 - Concerns raised about Aero Contractors to U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge at meeting in Raleigh. Packet of information sent to his Lillington office by certified mail, return receipt requested, on August 18, 2006.
August 29, 2006 - NC State Sen. Ellie Kinnaird met with the Legislative Liaison from AG Cooper's office and asked that the SBI investigate whether the rendition flights were continuing.
September 1, 2006 - Letter requesting Aero investigation from NC Council of Churches to Governor Easley, AG Cooper, SBI Director Pendergraft, GTPA Board Vice-Chair Gene Conti, GTPA Executive Director Darlene Waddell, and NC General Assembly members.
September 8, 2006 - Letter from NC Council of Churches requesting investigation of Aero went to these GTPA board members: Commissioner of Agriculture Troxler, Secretary of State Moore, NC Community College System President Lancaster, and additional board members Holding, Whichard, Allison, Capel, and Sloan.

September 10, 2006 - Op ed urging Aero investigation by Barbara Zelter, NC Council of Churches, was published in the Charlotte Observer: "N.C. A Link in Torture Chain"

September 21, 2006 - Vigil outside Governor's Mansion regarding Aero and
rendition.
October 1, 2006 - Johnston County resident approached Chair of Johnston County Board of Commissioners, Cookie Pope, and other county officials at street fair to beg for investigation of Aero.

October 2, 2006 - Twelve NC state legislators wrote to SBI Director Pendergraft, requesting investigation of Aero. On October 17, 2006, she responded, claiming a lack of jurisdiction, and stating that she had contacted her counterparts at the FBI and shared the legislators' letter and
attachments with them.
October 17, 2006 - NC STN members brought Aero problem to attention of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and NC First Lady Mary Easley after Graham's speech at NCSU.

December 11, 2006 - NC STN held a press conference at the NC General Assembly, featuring State Rep. Larry Hall and ACLU Senior Human Rights Advisor Steven Watt, to announce the start of a campaign to gather signatures of non-profit organizations supporting investigation of Aero. Coverage received in several media.
January 2007 - NC STN member met with Johnston County Manager, asking for investigation of Aero.
January 18, 2007 - 22 state legislators wrote to AG Cooper, refuting SBI Director Pendergraft's claim that she lacked jurisdiction, and reiterating call for investigation of Aero.

February 14, 2007 - Meeting with Rose Auman, District Director for U.S. Rep. David Price, regarding Aero and rendition.
February 23, 2007 - Second meeting with U.S. Rep. Etheridge's aide Russ Swindell about Aero, attended by members of CodePink, ACLU and NC STN.

March 2007 - NC STN member approached Johnston County Board of Commissioners
Chair Cookie Pope and other commissioners to ask for investigation; no response.

March 19, 2007 - Meeting with U.S. Rep. Brad Miller by several constituents and NC STN members, resulting in Rep. Miller's agreement to cosponsor H.R. 1352, the "Torture Outsourcing Prevention Act."
March 20, 2007 - Response sent to 22 state legislators by J. B. Kelly, General Counsel to Attorney General Cooper, indicating the NC SBI had referred the Aero matter to the FBI, and stood ready to assist an FBI investigation.

March 21, 2007 - Press conference at NC General Assembly to announce letter from 75 non-profit organizations requesting investigation of Aero Contractors, delivered to Governor Easley, Attorney General Cooper, SBI Director Pendergraft, U.S. Attorney for Eastern District of NC George Holding, Johnston County Board of Commissioners, Global TransPark Authority
Board members, and NC General Assembly members

April 9, 2007 - Citizens' arrest at Aero headquarters, Johnston County airport. Eight people arrested while attempting to deliver "citizens' arrest" warrants.

April 18, 2007 - H.B. 1682, the North Carolina "No Place For Torture" Act, filed in NC House of Representatives.

April 19, 2007 - Johnston County Democratic Party passed resolution asking for investigation of Aero.

And on May 19, 2007, the Democratic Party of Congressional District 11 passed a resolution calling for a stop to rendition flights and torture assistance in North Carolina. They passed a resolution calling on the Attorney General to investigate Aero Contractors. These folks in the eastern part of the state have done a lot of work, and I commend them highly for this good work.