CIA Torture Chamber At Bangkok's Former Don Muang International Airport?

[webfact]

C.I.A. Torture Chamber at Bangkok's International Airport?

By Richard S. Ehrlich

BANGKOK, Thailand -- The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency may have used Bangkok's former Don Muang International Airport as its secret prison to torture a suspected Muslim terrorist, the first time a specific location has ever been described within Thailand, according to statements by the Libyan who survived.

It was impossible to immediately confirm Abdel Hakim Belhaj's allegations of being "hung," "injected," and refrigerated with "ice" at the airport, but if true, it is the first description of any site in Thailand pinpointed by a prisoner held the CIA.

Thai officials in this Buddhist-majority Southeast Asian country have consistently denied knowledge of any CIA secret prison.

London's Guardian newspaper reported on Sept. 5, however, that Britain's M16 intelligence agency helped the CIA in March 2004 arrest Mr. Belhaj, who is now a powerful commander in Tripoli for the anti-Moammar Gadhafi transitional government.

"Belhaj was detained by the CIA in Thailand in 2004 following an MI6 tip-off, allegedly tortured, then flown to Tripoli, where he says he suffered years of abuse in one of Muammar Gaddafi's prisons," the Guardian reported.

"MI6 had been able to tell the CIA of his whereabouts, after his associates informed British diplomats in Malaysia that he wished to claim asylum in the UK.

Full story: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1109/S00256/cia-torture-chamber-at-bangkoks-international-airport.htm

-- scoop.co.nz 2011-09-28

[londonthai]

interesting to know, why he thinks he was held at don muang.

but it's probable, because DM is an airforce airport and used to be shared by the civil aviation

[Thaddeus]

It was impossible to immediately confirm Abdel Hakim Belhaj's allegations of being "hung," "injected," and refrigerated with "ice" at the airport

I also remember the old smoking rooms at DM.

[siampolee]

"Belhaj was detained by the CIA in Thailand in 2004 following an MI6 tip-off, allegedly tortured, then flown to Tripoli, where he says he suffered years of abuse in one of Muammar Gaddafi's prisons," the Guardian reported.

I find the above quote from Belhaj somewhat strange. We are all well aware of what happened to the enemies of Gadaffi as the finding of a mass grave a couple of days ago shows us oh so plainly.

Yes I see no reason that Don Muang could have been a site for a covert detention and interrogation centre as it was in fact a military base first and foremost.

"MI6 had been able to tell the CIA of his whereabouts, after his associates informed British diplomats in Malaysia that he wished to claim asylum in the UK.

Now according to reports Belhaj wants to claim political asylum in the U.K. when it appears he is on the winning side in the Libyan conflict.

One is led to believe that that venerable bastion of the British press, 'The Guardian," has been sold a pup

Edited September 28, 2011 by metisdead
Do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes.

[taff33]

Oh dear,as mad man Bush and the pupet Blair would say 'not on my watch'

[angiud]

Why the news does not surprise me?

[MILT]

There is nothing intelligent being reported

[Thai at Heart]

Well at least it was Don Muang.

Just imagine the torture it would have been if he had had to handle arriving and departing from Survanabhumi.

[beano2274]

"Belhaj was detained by the CIA in Thailand in 2004 following an MI6 tip-off, allegedly tortured, then flown to Tripoli, where he says he suffered years of abuse in one of Muammar Gaddafi's prisons," the Guardian reported.

I find the above quote from Belhaj somewhat strange. We are all well aware of what happened to the enemies of Gadaffi as the finding of a mass grave a couple of days ago shows us oh so plainly.

Yes I see no reason that Don Muang could have been a site for a covert detention and interrogation centre as it was in fact a military base first and foremost.

"MI6 had been able to tell the CIA of his whereabouts, after his associates informed British diplomats in Malaysia that he wished to claim asylum in the UK.

Now according to reports Belhaj wants to claim political asylum in the U.K. when it appears he is on the winning side in the Libyan conflict.

One is led to believe that that venerable bastion of the British press, 'The Guardian," has been sold a pup

it does say "He wished", maybe now he does not want to seek Asylum.

[mijan24]

Belhaj was detained by the CIA in Thailand in 2004 following an MI6 tip-off, allegedly tortured, then flown to Tripoli, where he says he suffered years of abuse in one of Muammar Gaddafi's prisons," the Guardian reported.

Does anyone else find it interesting that following the alleged tortue he is sent to Tripolli by the CIA who if you believe speculation were supporting Gadafi at that time and now this guy is a high up in the overthrow of Gadafi once again speculation says The CIA are supporters of the Gadafi overthrow. It all boils down to "if we the minions were to ever find out what the governments of the world are really up too it would blow our socks off.

[mjnaus]

Belhaj was detained by the CIA in Thailand in 2004 following an MI6 tip-off, allegedly tortured, then flown to Tripoli, where he says he suffered years of abuse in one of Muammar Gaddafi's prisons," the Guardian reported.

Does anyone else find it interesting that following the alleged tortue he is sent to Tripolli by the CIA who if you believe speculation were supporting Gadafi at that time and now this guy is a high up in the overthrow of Gadafi once again speculation says The CIA are supporters of the Gadafi overthrow. It all boils down to "if we the minions were to ever find out what the governments of the world are really up too it would blow our socks off.

It's not that interesting at all considering both British intelligence and the CIA have been backing the armed rebellion in Libya from the get go and most prominent rebels are either admitted Al Qaeda fighters or have been otherwise associated with western intelligence. Once you start looking for the links, you often find that the key figures are often linked somehow to western intelligence agencies; either working for them fighting an "enemy" (like Al Qaeda fighters under Osama Bin Laden fighting off the Sovjets) or being captured/hold/brainwashed/whatever and then let go... They're then considered an intelligence asset and can and often will be used again in the future.

http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2011/09/west-point-terror-center-confirms-al.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8407047/Libyan-rebel-commander-admits-his-fighters-have-al-Qaeda-links.html

[scorecard]

interesting to know, why he thinks he was held at don muang.

but it's probable, because DM is an airforce airport and used to be shared by the civil aviation

Because DM was an airforce airport it's therefore probable. This is very big assumption.

It's a bit like say 'there was a murder, therefore it's probable everybody will be murdered'.

[Asianrider]

Sure this allegation will get the conspiracy theorists pumped up !

[Thai at Heart]

interesting to know, why he thinks he was held at don muang.

but it's probable, because DM is an airforce airport and used to be shared by the civil aviation

Because DM was an airforce airport it's therefore probable. This is very big assumption.

It's a bit like say 'there was a murder, therefore it's probable everybody will be murdered'.

Well, yes, but on the basis that they have admitted that there was an active interrogation place somewhere in Thailand, it is one of the more likely places simply because of history, proximity and convenience. Could be one of the old bases up country or U Tapao also, but then, the supposed guys we have up country up here stand out like sore thumbs as electronics or telecommunications engineers.

Edited September 28, 2011 by Thai at Heart

[asdecas]

Interesting that this news item was the first in the list in today's ThaiVisa email. The second was headlined "Thailand to become a hub for international education".

Perhaps that should read "re-education"?

[bangkockney]

23 days old, hardly news.

[steveromagnino]

I believe several other Libyans were 'well hung' also.

What isn't in the report, is there were also complaints placed regarding torture using some of the following specific Thai techniques:

- depriving suspects of warm conditions in transportation, via torture using ultra chilled airconditioning WITHOUT a blanket, and then forcing the suspect to wear a cardigan but THE RIGHT WAY AROUND

- mental torture using children standing outside a taxi stuck at the lights, consistently nodding and offering flowers, and then nodding, and then not smiling and nodding again

- insisting on making all food served extremely bland, and refusing to add chillies, claiming "kaek kao kin aharn pet mai pen"

- prefacing every sentence during the interrogation with 'hey you, farang, you you'

- making the suspect walk outside in the bright sunshine, but not providing the requisite A4 sheet of paper to shield themselves from the sun, and thus making them 'mai sabai'

- refusing to provide access to Smooth E whitening facial wash

- providing a toilet with the squirty gun...but no where to hang clothing and a completely wet and dirty floor....and no soap

- double pricing at the crocodile farm

And the most advanced technique:

- In the room with Chalerm's son, who used the advanced looking sideways and taking glasses on and off David Caruso techniques, with careful question phrasing and statement making such as "When I ask how are you" (takes off glasses) "you better have not washed your hair properly using my happy toiletries" (puts on glasses and looks sideways) "or you are mai mee how"

It was a brutal experience.

[cowslip]

"Thai officials in this Buddhist-majority Southeast Asian country have consistently denied knowledge of any CIA secret prison." - what on earth is that supposed to imply?

Thailand is a country whose army quite happily burned its own university students alive in the '80s - why would they hesitate at torturing others - especially if they were paid?

[VictorOne]

It was impossible to immediately confirm Abdel Hakim Belhaj's allegations of being "hung," "injected," and refrigerated with "ice" at the airport

I also remember the old smoking rooms at DM.

It this an attempt (reference to 'smoking rooms') in respect of a serious contribution to this thread.

[alexth]

Were they sharing with DEA?

[Thai at Heart]

"Thai officials in this Buddhist-majority Southeast Asian country have consistently denied knowledge of any CIA secret prison." - what on earth is that supposed to imply?

Thailand is a country whose army quite happily burned its own university students alive in the '80s - why would they hesitate at torturing others - especially if they were paid?

So who you gonna believe?

Even the supposedly secret CIA admits it

But when the CIA's top clandestine officer, Jose Rodriguez, told a colleague at the agency's secret prison in Thailand to destroy interrogation videos, he left the lawyers off the note.

Of course, it wouldn't be beyond the realm of possibility that Thailand's amazingly proficient security group didn't actually know what was going on!

Mai roo, mai mee!

[lwilk]

It could be the Northwest Airlines lounge. !!!

[Orac]

interesting to know, why he thinks he was held at don muang.

but it's probable, because DM is an airforce airport and used to be shared by the civil aviation

Because DM was an airforce airport it's therefore probable. This is very big assumption.

It's a bit like say 'there was a murder, therefore it's probable everybody will be murdered'.

Well, yes, but on the basis that they have admitted that there was an active interrogation place somewhere in Thailand, it is one of the more likely places simply because of history, proximity and convenience. Could be one of the old bases up country or U Tapao also, but then, the supposed guys we have up country up here stand out like sore thumbs as electronics or telecommunications engineers.

I assume, since his flight landed at DM on route between Malaysia and London, that he would have some idea how far he was transported, certainly for the initial interogation. He could have been moved later after being put into an alleged coma though.

Unfortunately I don't think many will be surprised that this happenned - even the CIA statement seems to suggest that - including the beating of his pregnant wife.

[wandrinstar]

We have all suffered at Thai Airports. Who cares what happens to terrorists anyway.

[Thai at Heart]

It could be the Northwest Airlines lounge. !!!

They probably gave him a choice between pushing a fully laden trolley with 2 screaming kids from international to domestic at Don Muang, or made him have to get through a packed immigration and run to the gate at SVB, despite having checked in 3 hours early.

[ringo123]

interesting to know, why he thinks he was held at don muang.

but it's probable, because DM is an airforce airport and used to be shared by the civil aviation

Because DM was an airforce airport it's therefore probable. This is very big assumption.

It's a bit like say 'there was a murder, therefore it's probable everybody will be murdered'.

Read the story you planks. He was arrested in DM airport, thats how he knows where it all took place.

[ringo123]

interesting to know, why he thinks he was held at don muang.

but it's probable, because DM is an airforce airport and used to be shared by the civil aviation

READ THE STORY.

"MI6 had been able to tell the CIA of his whereabouts, after his associates informed British diplomats in Malaysia that he wished to claim asylum in the UK.

"Belhaj was then allowed to board a flight for London and abducted when the plane called at Bangkok," the Guardian reported

[Briggsy]

It was widely reported several years ago that there was a large CIA secret jail in the north of Udon Thani province.

[cowslip]

what about the assumption above that everyone they torture is a terrorist??????

[ringo123]

"Belhaj was detained by the CIA in Thailand in 2004 following an MI6 tip-off, allegedly tortured, then flown to Tripoli, where he says he suffered years of abuse in one of Muammar Gaddafi's prisons," the Guardian reported.

I find the above quote from Belhaj somewhat strange. We are all well aware of what happened to the enemies of Gadaffi as the finding of a mass grave a couple of days ago shows us oh so plainly.

Yes I see no reason that Don Muang could have been a site for a covert detention and interrogation centre as it was in fact a military base first and foremost.

"MI6 had been able to tell the CIA of his whereabouts, after his associates informed British diplomats in Malaysia that he wished to claim asylum in the UK.

Now according to reports Belhaj wants to claim political asylum in the U.K. when it appears he is on the winning side in the Libyan conflict.

One is led to believe that that venerable bastion of the British press, 'The Guardian," has been sold a pup

If you read it correctly it says he was on his way to London to claim political asylum in 2004.