German Social Democrats Question EU Report on CIA Scandal
Members of Germany Social Democratic Party on Tuesday criticized a report by an EU Parliament commission that could damage their party colleague, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
In its report on CIA activities in Europe, a special cross-party European committee among other things accuses the former German government under Gerhard Schröder of not having worked hard enough for the release of a German-born Turk from the US prison camp at Guantanamo. The report increases the political pressure on Steinmeier, who was chief of staff in the chancellery office at the time and whose former activities are currently also being investigated by a parliamentary inquiry in Berlin. Reacting to the allegations of the European Parliament commission, Germany's Social Democratic parliamentary floor leader Peter Struck said that he questioned the committee's allegations that Steinmeier had turned down an offer by US authorities to take German-born Turk Murat Kurnaz back to Germany in 2002 after he was found innocent during interrogations at the Guantanamo prison camp. Struck said that he was not aware of any evidence of such an offer ever being made by the United States. He added that the EU committee had based its findings only on newspaper reports while the confidential government documents available to him spoke a different language. Struck's view is shared by SPD general secretary Hubertus Heil, who denied that Steinmeier should be blamed. Speedy resolution? "We want to investigate the whole matter without delay," he said. "And this has to be done in the appropriate committees of the German parliament. Then everyone will see that there can be no doubt about the foreign minister's integrity." A Social Democratic inquiry panel member, Thomas Oppermann, also said that any allegation that the former government had actively prevented the release of Kurnaz is far from the truth. He did say, though, that there was an active exchange of views about Kurnaz' future between German and US intelligence officers. "What I can see from the documents made available to me is that there were indeed discussions between German and US intelligence agents about whether or not to release Murat Kurnaz from Guantanamo on condition that he would be planted as a mole in Germany's radical Islamic scene," he said. "But these discussions alone cannot be construed as an official offer by US authorities to release Kurnaz." Inhuman attitudes? Next week, the Kurnaz case will be debated at length at a special meeting of a German parliamentary committee responsible for checking the intelligence agencies' activities. Meanwhile Germany's mass circulation tabloid Bild has asked why the former government should have cared at all about a Turk who had no German citizenship. The chairman of the parliamentary probe, Siegfried Kauder, was outraged by such comments. "To ask why should we bother about this Turk at all is inhuman," he said. "After all, Kurnaz grew up in Germany. And if the government thought they shouldn't be concerned, they should have informed Kurnaz' lawyer so that he'd be able to seek help elsewhere. But to convey the impression that one cares and then do nothing would be inhuman." The German public has been hearing about the Kurnaz case for many weeks and now there's an expectation that Steinmeier will act to clear up the matter speedily. However, he's unlikely to testify to the inquiry panel before March after all witnesses have been heard.
German
Social Democrats
Swedish_Social_Democratic_Party Social_Democrats_(Denmark) Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany Social_democracy Social_Democrats_(Slovenia) Czech_Social_Democratic_Party Social_Democrats_(Ireland) Social_Democratic_Party_of_Finland Social_Democrats Social_Democratic_Party_of_Austria Social_Democrats_of_Montenegro Social_Democratic_Party_of_Switzerland Social_Democratic_Party_(Romania) Social_Democratic_Party_of_Lithuania Romanian_Social_Democratic_Party_(1927–48) Social_Democratic_Party_(UK)
EU
European_Union Europe List_of_European_records_in_swimming Eu,_Seine-Maritime E.U._(TV_series) European_Hot_100_Singles .eu European_Top_100_Albums Europium International_Federation_of_the_Phonographic_Industry United_Left_(Galicia) Experience_Unlimited United_Left_of_the_Balearic_Islands Esquerra_de_Menorca United_Extremadura Citizenship_of_the_European_Union
CIA
Central_Intelligence_Agency C.I.A._(band) The_World_Factbook Motorpoint_Arena_Cardiff MOS_Technology_CIA Cianorte_Futebol_Clube Michael_Cia Total_Science Director_of_Central_Intelligence Comisión_de_Actividades_Infantiles Creators_of_Intense_Art CAN_in_Automation Director_of_the_Central_Intelligence_Agency Special_Activities_Division Comrade_in_America The_Culinary_Institute_of_America
Germany Social Democratic Party
Tuesday
EU
European_Union Europe List_of_European_records_in_swimming Eu,_Seine-Maritime E.U._(TV_series) European_Hot_100_Singles .eu European_Top_100_Albums Europium International_Federation_of_the_Phonographic_Industry United_Left_(Galicia) Experience_Unlimited United_Left_of_the_Balearic_Islands Esquerra_de_Menorca United_Extremadura Citizenship_of_the_European_Union
Parliament
Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom Parliament Parliament_of_England Parliament_of_Sri_Lanka Parliament_(band) Parliament_of_Canada New_Zealand_Parliament Parliament_of_Great_Britain Parliament_of_India Storting Parliament_of_Romania Parliament_of_South_Africa Parliament_of_Pakistan Italian_Parliament Islamic_Consultative_Assembly Parliament_of_Australia
German
Foreign Minister
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Frank-Walter_Steinmeier
CIA
Central_Intelligence_Agency C.I.A._(band) The_World_Factbook Motorpoint_Arena_Cardiff MOS_Technology_CIA Cianorte_Futebol_Clube Michael_Cia Total_Science Director_of_Central_Intelligence Comisión_de_Actividades_Infantiles Creators_of_Intense_Art CAN_in_Automation Director_of_the_Central_Intelligence_Agency Special_Activities_Division Comrade_in_America The_Culinary_Institute_of_America
Europe
Europe UEFA Europe_(band) UEFA_competitions European_Athletic_Association European_theatre_of_World_War_II European_Union Europe_(dinghy) European_Cricket_Council UEFA_Champions_League Senior_League_World_Series_(Europe–Africa_Region) Big_League_World_Series_(Europe–Africa_Region) Sailing_at_the_2004_Summer_Olympics_–_Europe Neolithic_Europe History_of_Europe Europe_(magazine)
European
German
Gerhard Schröder
Gerhard_Schröder Gerhard_Schröder_(CDU) Gerhard_Schröder_(television_executive)
German
Turk
US
United_States Billboard_200 Billboard_Hot_100 Recording_Industry_Association_of_America United_States_dollar Nielsen_SoundScan Billboard_charts Hot_Country_Songs Unincorporated_territories_of_the_United_States Billboard_(magazine) Dance_Club_Songs Federal_government_of_the_United_States American_English RIAA_Certification .us Us_(Peter_Gabriel_album)
Guantanamo
Guantánamo Guantanamo_Bay_detention_camp Guantánamo_Province Guantánamo_(baseball) Guantanamo_Bay_Naval_Base Guantánamo_Bay Timeline_of_Guantánamo FC_Guantánamo Guantánamo_CB Guantanamo_(TV_series) Camp_X-Ray_(Guantanamo) List_of_Yemeni_detainees_at_Guantanamo_Bay Haitian_refugees_held_at_the_Guantanamo_Bay_Naval_Base Mariana_Grajales_Airport
Steinmeier
Frank-Walter_Steinmeier
Berlin
Berlin Humboldt_University_of_Berlin Berlin_(band) German_Open_(WTA) Berlin,_New_Hampshire Berlin_Hauptbahnhof Olympiastadion_(Berlin) Berlin,_Connecticut Berlin_International_Film_Festival Berlin,_Maryland Berlin_(Lou_Reed_album) Berlin,_New_Jersey Berlin,_Massachusetts Berlin,_Wisconsin East_Berlin Battle_of_Berlin
European Parliament
European_Parliament European_Parliament_election,_2009_(United_Kingdom) Member_of_the_European_Parliament Espace_Léopold Seat_of_the_European_Parliament_in_Strasbourg European_Parliament_election,_1994_(Spain) Elections_to_the_European_Parliament European_Parliament_election,_1987_(Spain) European_Parliament_election,_2014_(United_Kingdom) European_Parliament_election,_2014_(Poland) London_(European_Parliament_constituency) European_Parliament_election,_2014_(Spain) European_Parliament_election,_2009_(Spain) European_Parliament_election,_2004_(Spain) European_Parliament_election,_1989_(Spain) List_of_members_of_the_European_Parliament_for_Greece,_2014–19
Germany
Germany Germany_national_football_team Nazi_Germany German_Empire Germany_women's_national_football_team Weimar_Republic German_Football_Association ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Germany GfK_Entertainment_Charts Germany_national_youth_football_team A1_Team_Germany Germany_national_rugby_union_team Kingdom_of_Germany German_literature Germany_men's_national_ice_hockey_team Same-sex_marriage_in_Germany
Social Democratic
Social_democracy Swedish_Social_Democratic_Party Social_Democratic_Party_(Portugal) Social_Democratic_Party_(Japan) Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany Socialist_Party_of_America Social_Democratic_Party_of_Finland Social_Democratic_Party_of_Austria Social_Democratic_Party_of_America Social_Democrats_(Denmark) Social_Democratic_Party_(UK) Social_Democratic_Party_(Romania) Socialism_in_the_Netherlands Social_Democratic_Party_of_Switzerland Czech_Social_Democratic_Party Social_Democratic_Party_(Estonia)
parliamentary floor leader
Peter Struck
Peter_Struck Peter_Struck_(classicist)
Steinmeier
Frank-Walter_Steinmeier
US
United_States Billboard_200 Billboard_Hot_100 Recording_Industry_Association_of_America United_States_dollar Nielsen_SoundScan Billboard_charts Hot_Country_Songs Unincorporated_territories_of_the_United_States Billboard_(magazine) Dance_Club_Songs Federal_government_of_the_United_States American_English RIAA_Certification .us Us_(Peter_Gabriel_album)
German
Turk
Murat Kurnaz
Murat_Kurnaz
Germany
Germany Germany_national_football_team Nazi_Germany German_Empire Germany_women's_national_football_team Weimar_Republic German_Football_Association ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Germany GfK_Entertainment_Charts Germany_national_youth_football_team A1_Team_Germany Germany_national_rugby_union_team Kingdom_of_Germany German_literature Germany_men's_national_ice_hockey_team Same-sex_marriage_in_Germany
2002
Guantanamo
Guantánamo Guantanamo_Bay_detention_camp Guantánamo_Province Guantánamo_(baseball) Guantanamo_Bay_Naval_Base Guantánamo_Bay Timeline_of_Guantánamo FC_Guantánamo Guantánamo_CB Guantanamo_(TV_series) Camp_X-Ray_(Guantanamo) List_of_Yemeni_detainees_at_Guantanamo_Bay Haitian_refugees_held_at_the_Guantanamo_Bay_Naval_Base Mariana_Grajales_Airport
United States
United_States United_States_men's_national_soccer_team United_States_men's_national_ice_hockey_team United_States_women's_national_soccer_team United_States_national_rugby_union_team American_poetry United_States_men's_national_junior_ice_hockey_team United_States_Soccer_Federation Secondary_education_in_the_United_States Recording_Industry_Association_of_America United_States_men's_national_basketball_team United_States_Davis_Cup_team United_States_national_cricket_team Cinema_of_the_United_States Education_in_the_United_States Same-sex_marriage_in_the_United_States
EU
European_Union Europe List_of_European_records_in_swimming Eu,_Seine-Maritime E.U._(TV_series) European_Hot_100_Singles .eu European_Top_100_Albums Europium International_Federation_of_the_Phonographic_Industry United_Left_(Galicia) Experience_Unlimited United_Left_of_the_Balearic_Islands Esquerra_de_Menorca United_Extremadura Citizenship_of_the_European_Union
Struck
Striking_the_colors Strike_action Landfall Ghouta_chemical_attack Struck Struck_off Hammered_coinage January_2013_Rif_Dimashq_airstrike Strikeout Coining_(mint) Bird_strike Strike_price Assault Impact_event Castelldefels_train_accident 2010_Moscow_Metro_bombings
SPD
Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany Freedom_and_Direct_Democracy Shepshed_Dynamo_F.C. Social_Democratic_Party Semen_Padang_F.C. Scottish_Football_League_Premier_Division Social_Democratic_Party_in_the_GDR St_Patrick's_College,_Dublin Serial_presence_detect S.P.D._(song) 1992–93_Scottish_Premier_Division 1987–88_Scottish_Premier_Division 1986–87_Scottish_Premier_Division Power_Rangers_S.P.D. SPD_Bavaria Norwegian_speciedaler
general secretary
Hubertus Heil
Hubertus_Heil
Steinmeier
Frank-Walter_Steinmeier
German
Social Democratic
Social_democracy Swedish_Social_Democratic_Party Social_Democratic_Party_(Portugal) Social_Democratic_Party_(Japan) Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany Socialist_Party_of_America Social_Democratic_Party_of_Finland Social_Democratic_Party_of_Austria Social_Democratic_Party_of_America Social_Democrats_(Denmark) Social_Democratic_Party_(UK) Social_Democratic_Party_(Romania) Socialism_in_the_Netherlands Social_Democratic_Party_of_Switzerland Czech_Social_Democratic_Party Social_Democratic_Party_(Estonia)
inquiry panel member
Thomas Oppermann
Thomas_Oppermann Thomas_Oppermann_(academic)
Kurnaz
Kurnaz
German
US
United_States Billboard_200 Billboard_Hot_100 Recording_Industry_Association_of_America United_States_dollar Nielsen_SoundScan Billboard_charts Hot_Country_Songs Unincorporated_territories_of_the_United_States Billboard_(magazine) Dance_Club_Songs Federal_government_of_the_United_States American_English RIAA_Certification .us Us_(Peter_Gabriel_album)
German
US
United_States Billboard_200 Billboard_Hot_100 Recording_Industry_Association_of_America United_States_dollar Nielsen_SoundScan Billboard_charts Hot_Country_Songs Unincorporated_territories_of_the_United_States Billboard_(magazine) Dance_Club_Songs Federal_government_of_the_United_States American_English RIAA_Certification .us Us_(Peter_Gabriel_album)
Murat Kurnaz
Murat_Kurnaz
Guantanamo
Guantánamo Guantanamo_Bay_detention_camp Guantánamo_Province Guantánamo_(baseball) Guantanamo_Bay_Naval_Base Guantánamo_Bay Timeline_of_Guantánamo FC_Guantánamo Guantánamo_CB Guantanamo_(TV_series) Camp_X-Ray_(Guantanamo) List_of_Yemeni_detainees_at_Guantanamo_Bay Haitian_refugees_held_at_the_Guantanamo_Bay_Naval_Base Mariana_Grajales_Airport
Germany
Germany Germany_national_football_team Nazi_Germany German_Empire Germany_women's_national_football_team Weimar_Republic German_Football_Association ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Germany GfK_Entertainment_Charts Germany_national_youth_football_team A1_Team_Germany Germany_national_rugby_union_team Kingdom_of_Germany German_literature Germany_men's_national_ice_hockey_team Same-sex_marriage_in_Germany
Islamic
US
United_States Billboard_200 Billboard_Hot_100 Recording_Industry_Association_of_America United_States_dollar Nielsen_SoundScan Billboard_charts Hot_Country_Songs Unincorporated_territories_of_the_United_States Billboard_(magazine) Dance_Club_Songs Federal_government_of_the_United_States American_English RIAA_Certification .us Us_(Peter_Gabriel_album)
Kurnaz
Kurnaz
German
Germany
Germany Germany_national_football_team Nazi_Germany German_Empire Germany_women's_national_football_team Weimar_Republic German_Football_Association ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Germany GfK_Entertainment_Charts Germany_national_youth_football_team A1_Team_Germany Germany_national_rugby_union_team Kingdom_of_Germany German_literature Germany_men's_national_ice_hockey_team Same-sex_marriage_in_Germany
mass circulation tabloid
Bild
Bild Harry_Bild
Turk
German
Siegfried Kauder
Turk
Kurnaz
Germany
Germany Germany_national_football_team Nazi_Germany German_Empire Germany_women's_national_football_team Weimar_Republic German_Football_Association ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Germany GfK_Entertainment_Charts Germany_national_youth_football_team A1_Team_Germany Germany_national_rugby_union_team Kingdom_of_Germany German_literature Germany_men's_national_ice_hockey_team Same-sex_marriage_in_Germany
Kurnaz
German
Kurnaz
Steinmeier
Frank-Walter_Steinmeier
March
United States
United_States
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
Europe
European_Union
iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::entity type::igo type::organization type::so
Germany Social Democratic Party
Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany
iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::entity type::organization type::party
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Frank-Walter_Steinmeier
gender::male iptc::11000000 policy::exterior slot::keyword topic::politics type::entity type::minister type::person type::politician
CIA
Central_Intelligence_Agency
iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::agency type::entity type::governmental_organisation type::organization
Murat Kurnaz
Murat_Kurnaz
gender::male meta::todo topic::none type::entity type::person
Peter Struck
Peter_Struck
gender::male iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::person type::politician
European Parliament
European_Parliament
iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::igo type::organization
German
topic::none type::gpe0-x type::other
Tuesday
topic::none type::time type::value
Foreign Minister
topic::none type::role type::value
European
topic::none type::loc-x type::other
Gerhard Schröder
Gerhard_Schröder
gender::male iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::head_of_gov type::person type::politician
Turk
topic::none type::gpe0-x type::other
Guantanamo
Guantanamo_Bay_detention_camp
iptc::02000000 topic::justice type::entity type::facility type::location type::prison
Berlin
Berlin
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
Germany
Germany
slot::in topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
parliamentary floor leader
topic::none type::role type::value
2002
topic::none type::time type::value
general secretary
topic::none type::role type::value
Hubertus Heil
Hubertus_Heil
gender::male iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::person type::politician
inquiry panel member
topic::none type::role type::value
Thomas Oppermann
Thomas_Oppermann
gender::male iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::person type::politician
Islamic
Islam
iptc::12000000 topic::none topic::religion type::other type::religion-x
mass circulation tabloid
topic::none type::role type::value
Bild
Bild
topic::media type::entity type::media type::organization
Siegfried Kauder
wikidata:Q2283475
gender::male iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::person type::politician
March
topic::none type::time type::value
Turkey