North Carolina Stop Torture Now – An Incomplete Digest of Noteworthy Efforts and Events
December 10, 2020 (International Human Rights Day) – Christina Cowger and Catherine Read spoke about the NC Commission of Inquiry on Torture at a webinar entitled “Learning from Experience: Truth and Reconciliation Processes in the U.S.” The webinar was sponsored by the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation at George Mason University, and was developed for people in the US who are currently involved in truth-telling processes. Featured speakers from the other three Truth and Reconciliation Commissions were: Rev. Nelson & Joyce Johnson of the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission; Esther Attean of the Maine Wabanaki State Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission and David Ragland of the Truth-Telling Project, originally from Ferguson, MO.
October 18, 2020 – Christina made a presentation on NCSTN’s work for the 2020 Virtual NC Peace Booth, which had the theme “Know Justice, Know Peace.” The Peace Booth series also included webinars by Martin Gugino, who suffered a head injury from being shoved by police at a protest of George Floyd’s murder, and Patrick O’Neill on his work with the Kings Bay Plowshares.
October 5, 2020 – Congressman Price sent a letter to the CIA requesting more information on detainees rendered to foreign counties for torture, and the role of Aero Contractors, Ltd. The letter includes appendices listing the 49 prisoners known to have been rendered by Aero, and 77 suspicious flights flown by Aero.
February 11, 2020 – Christina Cowger, Sandy Irving of Raleigh, Wes Hare and Janie Freeman of Chapel Hill , Curt Torell of the Quaker House board, and Rev. Steve Hickle (past president of the Governing Board of the NC Council of Churches) met with Sarah Bolton, Policy Director for Governor Cooper. Points of discussion included the lack of acknowledgement of the NCCIT findings and recommendations, use of state money to fortify Aero’s compound, and Rep. Verla Insko’s bill. Following on the meeting, the anti-torture advocates provided a suggested short statement that Gov. Cooper could make, acknowledging the work of the NCCIT and committing himself to ensuring that North Carolina is no longer used to enable torture. (There has been no response to date.)
January 29, 2020 – Christina Cowger, Andy Silver, and Joan Walsh leafleted a fundraising event for Governor Cooper at the Carolina Coffee Shop in Chapel Hill. Most attendees and many passersby were receptive to our message, and many accepted leaflets.
November 10, 2019 – Lyle Adley-Warrick and Andy Silver leafleted a fundraiser for Governor Cooper for about 30 minutes as people entered the event. Most people took them; there was no hostility and some support. Gov. Cooper shook their hands and commended them on dedication to “your cause.”
November 2, 2019 – NCSTN and allies organized a showing of the film “The Report.” Congressman Price gave strong opening remarks, which Phil Jacobson filmed. The screening was sold out online and 44 people were on the waiting list. A panel discussion followed the film. The film was also shown in selected venues in Chapel Hill, Fayetteville, Asheville, and Greensboro, and was released on Amazon Prime on November 29.
July, 2019 – A new report, “CIA Torture Unredacted,” was released by Sam Raphael (a witness at the NCCIT public hearing) and Ruth Blakeley of the Rendition Project and Crofton Black of the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. The report’s Appendix 2 lists 62 rendition missions for which the start- and endpoints, as well as who was rendered, are known. Of these, 30 were flown by Aero Contractors, Ltd., and another used an aircraft that also originated in North Carolina and returned here. Twenty-two started and ended in Johnston County, five started and ended in Kinston, and three others either started or ended in Johnston County. The report provides evidence of beatings and electric shocks endured by detainees during their rendition flights, confirming the contention of the NCCIT report that renditions themselves constituted torture.
June 26, 2019 – About 35 people held vigil outside Governor Cooper’s office, calling on him to break his silence on torture. The noon vigil commemorated the date in 1987 when the UN Convention against Torture (CAT) came into effect. Today, it has been ratified by 162 countries, including the US. Vigil attendees came from Mecklenburg, Orange, Durham, Wake, and Johnston counties. Co-sponsors of the vigil included NC Council of Churches, Raleigh Friends Meeting, Amnesty International Group 213, Movement to End Racism & Islamophobia, Triangle WILPF, Eisenhower Chapter 157 Veterans for Peace, Fr. Charlie Mulholland Catholic Worker House of Garner, and North Carolina Peace Action. Powerful short speeches were given by: Robin Kirk, co-chair of NC Commission of Inquiry on Torture; Rev. Nancy Petty, Pullen Memorial Baptist Church; Doug Ryder, Veterans for Peace; Joe Burton, NC Peace Action; Prof. Deborah Weissman, UNC School of Law; Manzoor Cheema, Movement to End Racism & Islamophobia; Vivian Taylor, Iraq vet, Duke Divinity student and Council of Churches intern; and Rabbi Eric Solomon, board member, T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call For Human Rights.
On the same day, Congressman Price read the NCCIT Executive Summary into the Congressional Record.
May 27, 2019 – The Orange County Peace Coalition held its customary Memorial Day event against war at the Chapel Hill public library. The theme was resistance to war and torture, and it was organized by Jan Broughton and Wes Hare, co-chairs of OCPC; Orange County churches, and WILPF. Christina Cowger spoke. About 70 people attended.
April 30, 2019 – A press conference was held at the NC General Assembly in support of Representative Verla Insko’s bill to require an investigation of Aero Contractors Ltd. and ban further use of NC airports for torture-related activities. Rep. Insko spoke first, followed by Christina Cowger, Catherine Read, Jim Coleman, and Patty McGaffagan (the latter two were NCCIT Commissioners), Deborah Weissman (UNC Law School professor), and Rev. Jennifer Copeland of NC Council of Churches. Rep. Pricey Harrison, sponsor, and Rep. Allison Dahle, co-sponsor, also attended. Rep. Insko’s office had invited various media, but no official press attended. Phil Jacobson videotaped the event, and Jerry Markatos of Balance and Accuracy in Journalism took still photos. Bill sponsors and co-sponsors: Insko, Harrison, and Meyer (primary); Ager, Autry, Ball, Belk, Brockman, Butler, Carney, Dahle, Fisher, Floyd, Gill, Holley, Lucas, Martin, Morey, Pierce, Reives, and R. Smith (co-sponsors). The bill was tabled due to the lack of a corresponding Senate bill.
April 28, 2019 – Conference in Asheville at which Phil Jacobson took videos and Para Drake moderated. The local Friends meeting was involved in organizing, as were Ethan Vesely-Flad of Fellowship of Reconciliation, and Bill Ramsey, one of those arrested for non-violent civil disobedience at Aero Contractors Ltd. in 2005. Speakers included Christina Cowger, Ron Stief of NRCAT, and NCCIT Commissioners Frank Goldsmith, Larry Wilkerson, and David Crane. About 40 people attended, including about 15 speakers and organizers.
April 18, 2019 – Allyson Caison, with Witness for Peace, organized a Maundy Thursday event that began at 7:30 am at St. Anne Catholic Church on Hwy 70. Peacemakers gathered, prayed, were shuttled to one-half mile from Aero Contractors, and walked to the gates of Aero. Once there, Jennifer Copeland of the NC Council of Churches led a prayer vigil. Isaac Villegas, Chapel Hill Mennonite pastor, led a foot washing. Gail Phares of Witness for Peace was media spokesperson. Approximately 15 people attended.
March 4, 2019 – Allyson Caison and Chuck Fager attended the Johnston County Commissioners meeting. Chuck spoke about the new rules and regulations for activities at the airport, handing out a suggested revision saying the airport will respect First Amendment freedoms of peaceable assembly, press, and religion. The commissioners expressed support for the First Amendment.
February 27, 2019 – Joan Walsh and Andy Silver met with Sen. Mike Woodard and Rep. Marcia Morey to discuss a bill to be sponsored by Rep. Verla Insko, requiring an investigation of Aero Contractors and banning further use of NC airports for torture-related activities. Scott Weir, another Durham constituent and human rights activist, also attended. Both legislators were sympathetic and generous with their time. Representative Morey offered to co-sponsor the bill.
February 24, 2019 – Christina Cowger and Para Drake spoke at a meeting of the Ethical Humanist Society of the Triangle, held in Chapel Hill. Forty people attended, including Peggy Misch, Andy Silver, and Verla Insko.
February 20, 2019 – Allyson Caison, Patty McGaffagan, Catherine Read, and Christina Cowger met with Phil Lanier, Johnston County Airport Director, and his attorney Dan Boyce at Nexsen Pruitt, 4141 Parklake Ave., Raleigh. Lanier and Boyce were representing the Airport Authority. The anti-torture advocates presented the NCCIT report to Lanier and Boyce. Boyce used the occasion to announce new regulations governing protest at the airport. Frank Goldsmith, co-chair of the NCCIT, had sought to join the meeting, but was not permitted to participate by telephone from his home in Buncombe County.
February 5, 2019 — A delegation from the NC Commission of Inquiry on Torture consisting of Robin Kirk (Co-Chair), Catherine Read (ED), and Christina Cowger (board member) met with Sarah Bolton, Governor Roy Cooper’s Senior Policy Advisor. They presented the NCCIT report Torture Flights and discussed the recommendations with Bolton.
February 4, 2019 – Christina Cowger, Phil Jacobson, and Joan Walsh attended a meeting of the Johnston County Commissioners with Allyson Caison and seven other Johnston County residents, including Patty McGaffagan. Phil filmed Chuck Fager’s presentation. Chuck handed out copies of the NCCIT report to the three new commissioners. They were congenial but, as always, noncommittal.
December 2018 — Thanks to organizing by Peggy Misch, the Town of Carrboro, the Town of Chapel Hill, and the Orange County Board of Commissioners each passed a “Resolution in Support of the Campaign to Make North Carolina a No-Torture State.” The resolutions acknowledged the work of the NCCIT and called on Gov. Cooper and Attorney General Stein to respond.
December 17, 2018 — A delegation delivered another set of petition signatures to Attorney General Josh Stein at the NC Dept. of Justice. The signatures were received by Jasmine McGhee, Special Deputy Attorney General and Director, Public Protection Section of the NCDOJ. The delegation included Wes Hare and Janie Freeman of Church of Reconciliation; Curt Torell, Chapel Hill Friends Meeting and board member of Quaker House; Para Drake of the NC Council of Churches “NC No Torture” project; and Christina Cowger, NCSTN. Wes and Janie also represented New Hope Presbyterian Peacemaking Network. The cover letter read in part, “Dear Attorney General Stein, enclosed are 326 signatures of North Carolinians who are asking you to take action on the recommendations of the non-governmental North Carolina Commission of Inquiry on Torture. The signatories call upon you to pursue an investigation of Aero Contractors, the CIA-affiliated company based at the Johnston County Airport.”
Nov. 27, 2018 — Release of a two-part documentary series, “Rendition Revisited,” by the Al Jazeera series People and Power. Made by Sarah Spiller and Callum MacRae, the series includes interviews with survivors of the CIA torture program and family members, U.S. intelligence and military veterans, and international experts on the rendition, detention & interrogation program. It also includes footage of protests and events surrounding the NCCIT report release in North Carolina, as well as interviews with NC anti-torture activists. There are scenes in Morocco and at Guantanamo.
Nov. 14-15, 2018 – Launch events for the NCCIT report were held in Washington, DC. On nov. 14, a panel discussion was attended by about 40 people, including NGO representatives and defenders of Guantánamo detainees. Speakers included Tommy Ross, who formerly worked for David Price and then for Harry Reid; . The Center for Victims of Torture helped organize the event. On Nov. 15, a panel discussion was held in the U.S. House of Representatives, and featured Dan Jones, lead author of the Senate Torture Report; Meetings were held the following day with staff for Thom Tillis, David Price, and Walter Jones.
Oct. 14, 2018 – Jane Hunt is a member of a Unitarian Universalist book club, which at her suggestion read Guantánamo Diary. Christina Cowger spoke at the book discussion and Jane gathered signatures on our petition to Cooper and Stein. The uncensored version of the book is available at bookstores.
Oct. 6, 2018 – Christina Cowger received the “Champion of Liberty” award on behalf of NC Stop Torture Now from the ACLU of North Carolina at its 2018 Liberty Awards Dinner, held at The Friday Center in Chapel Hill. This celebration is ACLU NC’s annual opportunity to recognize groups and individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to protecting and advancing civil rights and civil liberties in North Carolina.
Oct. 1, 2018 – The North Carolina Council of Churches and NC Stop Torture Now held a prayer vigil outside the Johnston County Courthouse ahead of the Johnston County Commissioners’ monthly meeting. Speakers were Rev. Jennifer Copeland and Rev. Para Drake, NC Council of Churches; Imam Qasim Siddiqui, Selma Mosque; Rev. Clay Parker, Edgerton United Methodist Church, Selma; and Rev. Kathie McCutcheon, Interfaith Minister. About 20 people attended. Johnston County prayer vigil for NCCIT report launch, presentation of report to JC Commissioners.
The NCCIT report was presented to the Johnston County Commissioners at their 6:00 pm meeting on October 1. NCCIT Commissioner Patty McGaffagan, a psychologist and 40-year resident of Johnston County, gave remarks and presented the report. She opened by noting her community connections to some of the commissioners and presented the report’s main takeaways, noting that the Johnston County Commissioners were pictured and discussed in the report. Each of the Johnston County Commissioners, County Manager Rick Hester, and County Attorney Jennifer Slusser received a copy of the report. Patty made three requests of the Commissioners:
- Acknowledge that Johnston County Airport was connected to illegal and immoral activity of conspiracy to kidnap and render to torture;
- Adopt policies for lease-holders at the airport that require them to pledge to obey the law;
- Ask Sheriff Steve Bizzell and District Attorney Susan Doyle to launch an investigation of Aero Contractors’ participation in conspiracies to kidnap and torture.
Rev. Copeland of the NC Council of Churches also addressed the Commissioners. She discussed the importance and the difficulty of acknowledging wrongdoing and apologizing, and invited them to agree that torture is wrong. No Commissioner would do so.
Sept. 27, 2018 – The launch of the final report of the NC Commission of Inquiry on Torture was celebrated in Raleigh near the south steps of the Capitol grounds. A considerable crowd assembled to hear speeches by Catherine Read, NCCIT Director; Commissioners Frank Goldsmith, Robin Kirk, Rev. Ben Boswell, Jim Coleman, Patty McGaffagan, and Larry Wilkerson; Col. Steve Kleinman; Rev. Jennifer Copeland; and Karen Anderson, Director of the ACLU of NC. Media were in attendance, including Al Jazeera English.
The North Carolina Council of Churches held a prayer vigil at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh that same day to mark the release of the NCCIT report and acknowledge the survivors and victims of U.S. torture. About 35 participants were welcomed by Rev. Nancy Petty, Pastor of the church. At the heart of the ceremony were 49 candles, each bearing the name of one of the 49 known victims and survivors rendered to torture for the CIA by Johnston County-based Aero Contractors. Rabbi Eric Solomon of Beth Meyer Synagogue, Raleigh, and Rev. Ben Boswell, NCCIT Commissioner and Senior Minister of Myers Park Baptist Church in Charlotte, offered scriptural reflections and benedictions from their respective faith traditions. To both the press conference and the vigil, Roger Ehrlich brought a belltower replica with the names of survivors and victims of torture and rendition facilitated by Aero Contractors.
August 26-27, 2018 – Allyson Caison, Christina Cowger and Catherine Read attended the International Humanitarian Law Dialogues in Jamestown NY, where NC Stop Torture Now and the NC Commission of Inquiry on Torture were honored. The Dialogues are held annually at the Chautauqua Institution and the Robert H. Jackson Center. They bring together current and former international war crimes tribunal prosecutors, academics, and law experts. Joshua Heintz presented the Heintz Humanitarian Award. Catherine spoke on the Ferencz Issues Panel, with the theme “Is the Justice We Seek the Justice They Want?”
July 17, 2018 – Thanks to the efforts of a number of NCSTN members, a “Read and Go” book tour organized by Raleigh Parks and Recreation did not visit the Johnston County Airport. The tour stop, with planned presentations by the Civil Air Patrol and Duke Life Flights, would have portrayed the airport as a civilly-responsible installation without mention of Aero Contractors, by far its largest client and source of income. Citizens called and emailed the Raleigh Parks and Recreation staff responsible for the tour, requesting to help educate tour participants about the Johnston County Airport’s role in torture, but instead city staff reportedly cancelled the airport stop.
May 15, 2018 – A Vice News segment featured Johnston County’s role in torture flights.
May 12, 2018 – About 70 people attended a May 12 Shabbat service at Beth Meyer Synagogue, where Steve Edelstein of NCSTN talked to the congregation about how NC is involved in torture.
May 7, 2018 – NCSTN again appeared at the Johnston County Commissioners’ meeting to follow up on the Commissioners’ request for further proof that Aero planes rendered prisoners to CIA black sites and to countries known to torture. This information had been sent following the March 5 meeting. Phil Jacobson took footage of the meeting. The County Manager claimed the Commissioners have no jurisdiction over the airport; however, Aero is registered as a contractor with the NC Secretary of State, hires pilots and mechanics, and is responsible for obeying state laws. The Commissioners declined to take action to prevent further torture flights from their airport.
March 5, 2018 — NCSTN turned 26 people out for the Johnston County Commissioners’ meeting, in order to present to the Commissioners new evidence about the magnitude of Aero Contractors’ role in the CIA’s rendition program. The evidence included testimony from the Nov. 30 – Dec. 1, 2017 hearings of the NC Commission of Inquiry on Torture. Presenters were Allyson Caison, Chuck Fager, and Christina Cowger. The Commissioners were asked to (1) read the testimony, (2) ask District Attorney Susan Doyle and Sheriff Bizzell, who had been invited to the meeting, to investigate, (3) if they do not, ask AG Stein and Gov. Cooper to initiate a multi-level investigation, and (4) adopt a no-torture-flights policy for their airport. Commissioners asked what laws were broken at their airport, said there was no direct evidence linking their airport to the 49 renditions presented, and said they deal with local matters, not federal. Following the meeting, flight logs were sent to the Commissioners showing the full rendition missions, beginning and ending at Smithfield or Kinston.
January 20, 2018 – NCSTN co-sponsored the Women’s Rally on Raleigh, where we tabled, signed up about 20 people on the email list, and gave out a lot of literature.
December 18, 2017 – In commemoration of Bill of Rights Day and at the request of Joan Walsh, the Durham City Council issued a proclamation supporting the findings of the recent NC Commission of Inquiry on Torture and directing the residents of Durham to take special note of the Commission’s work.
November 30 & December 1, 2017 – NC Commission of Inquiry on Torture hearings. The event was the culmination of years of work by NCCIT staff, board and advisory board members, and Commissioners, with strong support from NCSTN. Twenty-one witnesses testified to the 11 Commissioners. Witness testimony included two Skyped interviews, one with Mohamedou Ould Slahi, a survivor of rendition and torture, the other with the spouse of a survivor, Abou El-Kassim Britel, who was also deeply harmed by his experiences.
Testimony revealed that North Carolina’s role in the RDI program was more extensive than previously understood. Based on publicly available records, the Commission now believes that over 80% of all CIA renditions so far identified in the period September 2001 and March 2004 were done by NC-based planes and pilots. Testimony from The Rendition Project revealed that NC airports were bases for the extrajudicial rendition of 49 prisoners, some more than once, of whom 34 appear in the Executive Summary of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence report. Aero rendered nearly one-third of all detainees highlighted in the Senate report.
Not only did these flights carry prisoners to be tortured; the experience of rendition itself amounted to cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or torture. These renditions were violations of international, federal, and state law. Military and national security experts testified that the rendition and torture of these individuals failed to serve any legitimate national security goal, and in fact had the opposite effect of generating untrustworthy intelligence and harming key counterterrorism partnerships.
More than 200 people attended the hearings. Live-stream video and other content reached 22,309 people via Facebook. Twitter posts reached 29,466 people on the first day of hearings, and during the two weeks preceding and following the hearings, 68,400 people were reached. Following the hearings, The Guardian published an article featured by Reddit that reached 28,200 people and garnered over 200 comments.
October 26, 2017 – “Shining a Light on Torture” was held at the New Garden Friends Meeting in Greensboro. Speakers were Reverend Benjamin Boswell, Senior Minister of Myers Park Baptist Church in Charlotte, and Christina Cowger of NCSTN.
September 7, 2017 – Rev. Jennifer Copeland of the NC Council of Churches joined Deborah Weissman, Christina Cowger, and Joan Walsh in a meeting with Jenni Owen, Policy Director for NC Governor Cooper. Christina provided materials, including a copy of the Senate Select Committee on Torture report summary, with references to Aero flights flagged.
July 25 and July 9, 2017 – NCSTN’s campaign to obtain statements from Governor Cooper and Attorney General Stein against North Carolina’s involvement in the torture program, and also to promote their compliance with public records requests from the NC Commission of Inquiry on Torture Commissioners, enlisted statements from two leaders of non-profit organizations.
1) Rob Schofield of NC Policy Watch published a helpful commentary on the NCCIT in the Progressive Pulse
2) NC Council of Churches Executive Director Jennifer Copeland wrote an excellent blog post for the NCCC website.
June 13, 2017 – Frank Stasio of The State of Things interviewed Mohamedou Slahi, who now lives in Mauritania, via Skype. Slahi endured both aspects of the U.S. torture program: he was rendered by the CIA (Aero) to Jordan in late 2001, then was sent to Guantanamo in mid-2002, where he was subjected to the Pentagon’s reverse-engineered SERE (torture) program and where he remained for 14 years. He was released last year.
June 1, 2017 – A presentation was held at Land of the Sky United Church of Christ in Asheville. Frank Goldsmith, a co-chair of the NC Commission of Inquiry on Torture, was the main speaker. Christina Cowger spoke as well. Mohamedou Slahi, an RDI survivor released from Guantanamo last October and now living in his native Mauritania, was interviewed in the publicity for this event, and will also testify via Skype at the NC Commission of Inquiry on Torture public hearings. About 20 people attended the event. Sponsors included Asheville Friends meeting, Western NC ACLU, Veterans for Peace, and the Fellowship of Reconciliation. Most attendees were knowledgeable and involved.
March 17, 2017 – Christina Cowger, Joan Walsh, and Michael Struett represented NCSTN at a meeting with Attorney General Stein staffers Jasmine McGee, Senior Policy Advisor and Director of the Public Protection Program, David Elliott, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Blake Thomas, Deputy General Counsel.
December 2016 through April 2017– NCSTN members worked with local officials to obtain resolutions, proclamations, and statements of support for the NC Commission of Inquiry on Torture from Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, and Orange County. For example, on Dec. 19, 2016, at Joan Walsh’s request, the Durham City Council made a proclamation for Human Rights and Bill of Rights Day supporting the NCCIT and signed by Mayor Bill Bell. A statement from Rep. David Price endorsing a citizen-led inquiry into U.S. torture was also obtained.
March 6, 2016 – The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights released its communications with the governments of the United States, Pakistan, Morocco, Italy, and Portugal, on the case of Kassim Britel. This U.N. inquiry is the direct result of work by Prof. Deborah Weissman and her students, which was covered by McClatchy DC in the article, UNC legal team, rights advocates take up cause of tortured ex-prisoner. Special Rapporteur Juan Méndez used Prof. Weissman and students’ brief to write allegation letters regarding Britel’s case. Prof. Méndez said, “The Special Rapporteur urges the Government of the United States to conduct a fair and impartial investigation into the incidents, to prosecute and punish those responsible and to provide Mr. Elkassim Britel with adequate redress.” He had similar messages for Pakistan, Morocco, Italy, and Portugal. These communications and findings were presented the following week at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Prof. Méndez’s report is at UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights – Kassim Britel – 2015, with Italy at paragraph 280, Morocco at 354, Pakistan at 398, Portugal at 451 and the U.S. at 653. Here is the response from the United States.
March 9, 2016 – NCSTN, together with the Movement to End Racism & Islamophobia and the NC Council of Churches, held two vigils and a press conference in Raleigh to call on the likely Democratic and Republican candidates for Governor to investigate NC’s torture taxi program, demand accountability, and provide redress to those harmed.
October 27-29, 2015 – NCSTN invited former CIA officer and whistleblower John Kiriakou for a whirlwind, multi-city speaking tour in NC, and coordinated his appearances at multiple venues. Mr. Kiriakou spoke to crowds of 100 to 250 people at UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State University in Raleigh, Guilford College in Greensboro, and Quaker House in Fayetteville. An appearance on the NPR affiliate WUNC’s acclaimed show “The State of Things,” an article in the News & Observer, and a column by the N&O’s editor Ned Barnett were among the media highlights of Mr. Kiriakou’s tour.
February 6, 2015 – NCSTN promoted a call-in to U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), who, just days after taking the helm as chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, moved to bury his committee’s 6,900-page report on the CIA torture program by demanding that the White House return every copy of the full report shared with the executive branch by the previous Congress.
January 25, 2015 – A letter from North Carolina Stop Torture Now coordinator Christina Cowger in the Jan. 23 edition of The Washington Post questioned Senator Burr’s respect for his own constituents. Other national media also cast doubt on his fitness to lead the committee charged with overseeing the CIA.
December 28, 2014 – The News & Observer reported on Johnston County elected officials contention that Aero Contractors is a “good corporate citizen,” and that ” … what (Aero) is doing at the airport is legal.” The officials were quesioned as part of The News & Observer’s follow-up on local connections highlighted by release of the summary of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s torture report.
December 19, 2014 – North Carolina Stop Torture Now hosted a press conference and vigil covered by the News & Observer to call upon North Carolina’s elected officials to investigate our state’s role in torture in light of Senate torture report revelations. Featured Speakers were: Rev. George Reed, Executive Director, North Carolina Council of Churches, Raleigh; Prof. Deborah Weissman, Reef Ivey II Distinguished Professor, UNC School of Law, Chapel Hill; Matthew Hoh, Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy; veteran of the Marine Corps and the Department of State; former Director of the Afghanistan Study Group, Raleigh; Chuck Fager, North Carolina Stop Torture Now, retired Executive Director of Quaker House in Fayetteville, Durham.
December 17, 2014 – The Independent Weekly’s Bob Geary reported on our efforts in light of the release of the summary of the Senate torture report.
December 16, 2014 – The News & Observer published an op-ed by NCSTN activists Allyson Caison and Josh McIntyre, ” Torture and NC culpability: the state owes apologies, restitution,” a summary of more than nine years of our group’s work to achieve accountability for state and local government support of the United States rendition, interrogation and detention (RDI) program in light of the release of the summary of a Senate report on U.S. torture.
December 15, 2014 – Steven Watt observed in an ACLU blog that ” … the Obama administration has so far declined to acknowledge Khaled (El-Masri)’s wrongful detention and abuse, and State Department lawyers have yet to respond to his petition to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, filed over six years ago. Protecting legitimate state secrets wasn’t the CIA’s primary interest. It invoked secrecy to cover up its embarrassing mistakes—which included egregious human rights violations—and to avoid accountability. Now that the CIA’s atrocities are a matter of public record, the government should take responsibility for them and make amends.” (Emphasis added -Web Editor.)
December 12, 2014 – CIA Director John Brennan acknowledged that the program of harsh interrogation methods—which he refused to call torture, in contrast to the word used by both President Obama and Senator Feinstein (D-Calif.)—continued until December 2007, two years after NC Stop Torture first aired concerns to state- and local elected officials. Brennan also confessed that he could not prove the techniques themselves had elicited crucial information that thwarted dangerous plots. Brennan also continued a pattern of scapegoating field operatives rather than confronting the failure of leadership at the highest levels of government: “I certainly agree that there were times when CIA officers exceeded the policy guidance that was given and the authorized techniques that were approved and determined to be lawful,” he said.
December 11, 2014 – The News & Observer reports specifically on the Senate torture report’s confirmation of North Carolina’s role in the extraordinary rendition program and notes that NC Stop Torture Now will continue to press for a full disclosure of North Carolina’s role and urge state and local governments to formally apologize to victims and survivors.
December 9, 2014 – The Senate Intelligence Committee finally released a 525-page summary of its report on the U.S. torture program. Seventeen of the CIA detainees named in the Senate report were secretly transported by Aero Contractors aircraft based in Smithfield (N313P) or Kinston, (N379P) NC. However, 18 more named survivors and victims transported to torture by the CIA using Aero Contractors planes and pilots do not appear in the released portion of the Senate report.
November 20, 2014 – Professor Deborah Weissman was featured on the WUNC 91.5 FM program The State of Things discussing solitary confinement as torture, a report of the human rights policy seminarendorsed by NC Stop Torture Now.
November 12, 2014 – The United States admitted to a United Nations panel that it tortured, and confirmed steps taken since to prohibit cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment abraod including places where it exercises effective control such the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, as well as American-flagged ships and aircraft.
October 13, 2014 – McLatchy News reported on a piece republished in the Raleigh News & Observer and the Charlotte Observer on North Carolina Stop Torture Now efforts to gather signatures on a letter of apology to Abou ElKassim Britel and on the Human Rights clinic at the UNC School of Law efforts to present a petition to the United Nations rapporteur for torture, Juan E. Méndez, with supporting documents, including flight records, indicate that the plane was flown for the CIA by Aero Contractors from Pakistan to Morocco, where U.S. officials and contractors transferred him to Temara prison, where he was tortured. The petition asked Méndez to “take the appropriate steps to urge the United States, Pakistan, Morocco and Italy to acknowledge the harm they have caused Mr. Britel and to offer him an apology and other means of repair and redress as may be appropriate.”
October 5, 2014 – A team of outreach and education activists gathered 59 signatures were collected on the Britel apology, as well as 28 cards for release of the Senate torture report, 19 cards urging state law enforcement to open an investigation into North Carolina’s links to the U.S. Torture program at Chapel Hill’s annual arts festival, FestiFall.
September 27, 2014 – NC Stop Torture Now activists and allies again cleaned the highway along Swift Creek road, adjacent to the newly refurbished Johnston County Airport and even spent some time talking with airport director Ray Blackmon and his wife, her were sprucing up the entrance to the airport with addition of ornamental plants.
September 22, 2014 – Represenatives of NC Stop Torture Now met with Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC, 3rd District) to brief him and his staff on efforts to work for torture accountability in North Carolina.
August 6, 2014 – A 23-year-old woman tells the story of her rendition at age 12. Her father was an opponent of the Libyan dictator, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
July 31, 2014 – The White House sought to distance itself from a State Department policy draft inadvertently leaked to the Associated Press that characterized the U.S. rendition, detention and interrogation program as clearly illegal and something of ” … which no American is proud.”
July 26, 2014 – The Los Angeles Times featured a piece by human rights lawyer Joseph Margulies explains that the European Court of Human Rights decision awarding 230,000 euros compensation to two victims and survivors as ” … a rebuke of the entire criminal conspiracy that was the “extraordinary rendition” program.”
July 24, 2014 – The European Court of Human Rights found that Poland violated its obligations under the European Convention of Human Rights for its complicity in the United States’ running of a CIA black site and high-value detainees program on Polish territory.
July 11, 2014 – UNC School of Law Human Rights Cliinic work advocating on behalf of Aboul ElKassim Britel featured in the school’s online journal.
July 11, 2014 – France 24 airs an exclusive interview with Abou ElKassim Britel regarding his life during and since his capture, torture and decade of detention.
July 9, 2014 – Apology campaign featured in Italian news journal, Repubblica, along with an interview ofAbou ElKassim Britel.
June 29, 2014 – NC Stop Torture Now formally launches campaign to apologize to one survivor of the extraordinary rendition program.
June 24, 2014 – Nationally noted theologian Dr. David Gushee spoke to a crowd of about 50 at Pullen Memorial on the topic of “Coming to Terms with Torture: Truth, Accountability, and Reconciliation.” He previewed themes of his talk on on the WUNC 91.5 FM program The State of Things. Also offering remarks were Rev. Luke Powery, Dean of Duke Chapel, and NC Stop Torture Now’s Coordinator Christina Cowger. Gushee’s message was also featured in a story published June 26 by the News & Observer and also carrried by the Stars & Stripes, a news publication targeting an U.S. military audience.
June 21, 2014 – A dozen anti-torture activists endured ticks and dodged poison ivy while collecting 11 bags of trash and two bags of recyclable materials from the roadway adjacent the Johnston County Airport, headquarters of Aero Contractors, Ltd., a hub for aircraft and flight crews that operated planes implicated in the U.S. program of extraordinary rendition.
May 23, 2014 – Nearly two-dozen activists gathered to call on President Obama to keep his promise to close Guantánamo, as coverd in mainstream media at ABC-11 television and the Raleigh News & Observer.
April 10, 2014 – One week after the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence voted to release a summary of their investigation into U.S. treatment of detainees, a handful of activists gathered at the NC Department of Justice to remind Attorney General Roy Cooper that he has a special obligation to investigate the North Carolina links to enforced disappearance, secret detention and torture the report is nearly certain to document. Although representatives of the Attorney General’s office earlier received documenation of human rights abuse facilitated by a tenant on state-owned property, the state’s chief law enforcement officer continues to refer advocates to the U.S. attorney or local prosecutors.
April 3, 2014 – North Carolina’s U.S. Senator Richard Burr joined a bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) that voted 11-3 to declassify and publicly release a 400-page summary of its 6,300-page report on U.S.-directed torture in the post-9/11 era. Sen. Burr’s vote ended his long silence on the matter, and his staff acknowledges that the Senator considered the most recent appeal from faith leaders (below) in making his decision. Yet, the Senator remains convinced — in spite of the report’s expected findings and the wisdom of experienced interrogators — that ” … the CIA’s detention program saved lives and played a vital role in ensuring that our nation had the intelligence it needed to successfully combat al-Qa’ida in the days following 9/11 and in the years since … ”
April 1, 2014 – The News & Observer published a guest opinion authored by Bishop Hope Morgan Ward, head of the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, and the Rev. Steve Hickle, president-elect of the North Carolina Council of Churches, urging North Carolina’s U.S. Sen. Richard Burr to in favor of releasing the Senate Select Intelligence Committee report on
March 8, 2014 – About a dozen activists gathered at the Johnston County airport and scattered in both directions along Swift Creek Road to scour the shoulders and drainage ditches for litter. The effort is part of North Carolina Stop Torture Now’s commitment to seeing not only that the highway is clean, but an opportunity to remind Johnston County motorists and residents that the road to a clean community conscience must travel through a thorough investigation of the airport’s link to the immoral, illegal and ineffective U.S. program of enforced disappearance, secret detention and torture. Likewise, victims and survivors of extraordinary rendition are long overdue to received a public apology from every level of government — from the Johnston County Airport Authority, to the county commissioners, and including the State of North Carolina and the U.S. government.
January 16, 2014 – Nearly 25 individuals from religious and veterans groups gathered to urge Burr to support release of Senate report on torture at a vigil near the Senator’s offices in Winston-Salem. The event featured remarks from CIA veteran Ray McGovern, and was covered in the Winston-Salem Journal.
January 6, 2014 – North Carolina Stop Torture Now partnered with Veterans for Peace, CloseGitmo.net, and PopularResistance.org to sponsor placement of a 28-ft by 12-ft billboard just 4 miles east of I-95 on Hwy 70 in Johnston County, NC, shown at left, depicting two kneeling black hooded prisoners and urging the United States to: “Close Guantánamo!”
November 9, 2013 – The News & Observer published an op-ed from North Carolina native, and former Guantánamo chief prosecutor, retired Colonel Morris Davis urging Senator Hagan to continue her support for closing the prison camp.
November 2, 2013 – NCSTN activists gather at the Johnston County Airport for another quarterly clean up of Swift Creek Road.
October 25, 2013 – A national report by McClatchy News detailing Senator Burr’s reply to 190 faith leaders urging him to to support release of a 6,000-page, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence report on detainee treatment in the post 9/11 era featured comments from the NC Council of Churches executive directorRev. J. George Reed and NCSTN leader Christina Cowger. Sen. Burr continues to resist release of the report due to what he considers ” … factual inaccuracies contained within the report, including inaccurate information relating to the details of the interrogation program and other information provided by detainees …”
October 6, 2013 – NCSTN leader Peggy Misch organized an outreach effort at Chapel Hill’s annual arts festival and street fair, Festifall. She and others gathered signatures on petitions, collected donations and engaged passers-by with educational material on North Carolina’s role in supporting the U.S. program of enforced disappearance, secret detention and torture during the post-9/11 era.
September 23, 2013 – The American Baptist Press reported on the public release of an Aug. 27 letterfrom 190 faith leaders to North Carolina’s U.S. Senator Richard Burr urging him to support release of a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence report on treatment of detainees during the post-9/11 era.
September 22, 2013 – The News & Observer echoes local faith leaders in urging U.S. Senator Burr to support release of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence report on detainee treatment during the post-9/11 era, noting that: “Burr, a strong supporter of the military, should not confuse withholding the facts on torture with protecting those who defend the nation. Making the report public will address a source of tension and make the world safer for them and all Americans.”
August 27, 2013 – With funding from the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, the North Carolina Council of Churches organized a letter signed by more than 190 clergy, faith leaders and lay supporters urging U.S. Senator Richard to support release of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence report on treatment of detainees and terrorism suspects during the post-9/11 era.
July 4, 2013 – NCSTN Activists and allies gathered signatures on a petition to U.S. Senator Richard Burr urging the prompt and least-redacted release of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee on U.S. Treatment and Interrogation of Detainees in the post-9/11 era during a July 4 celebration hosted by the community of Carrboro.
May 17, 2013 – NCSTN Activists and allies joined protesters on the first of four days of rallies in observance of the 100th day of a hunger strike joined by more than 100 detainees at Guantánamo Bay held in London, Sydney, New York City, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Anchorage, Eureka, Calif., Amherst, Mass., Toledo, Ohio, and Charlottesville, Virginia. The coalition events held at regional sites culminated with a May 20 action at the White House with protesters delivering more than 370,000 petition signatures to President Obama, urging him to take the necessary actions to close Guantanamo. In Raleigh, protesters held a vigil in front of the Century Post Office on Fayetteville Street in the heart of the city’s downtown.
April 20, 2013 – Fourteen members or allies of the statewide, grassroots coalition, North Carolna Stop Torture Now, worked for two hours to clean up 2.5-miles of Swift Creek Road adjacent the southern perimeter of the Johnston County Airport and in front of Aero Contractors, a transportation hub of the CIA’s extraordinary rendition program.
April 11, 2013 – NCSTN Activists and allies joined those in more than 20 cities to protest the indefinite detention of prisoners at Guantánamo Bay and demand that the Obama administration immediately address the causes of the hunger strike and fulfill its promise to close Guantánamo.
The action was organized nationally by the Center for Constitutional Rights and other human rights allies in solidarity with prisoners who are in the sixth week of a hunger strike to protest conditions at the prison camp. Bob Geary, a columnist for the Indepnedent Weekly described the action in his online column.
February 16, 2013 – The ACLU of North Carolina presented the group’s highest honor to Reef C. Ivey II Distinguished Professor of Law Deborah Weissman, who is lead author of The North Carolina Connection To Extraordinary Rendition and Torture, which was endorsed by human rights authorities with the United Nations and Council of Europe. The report specifically recommended “a Commission of Inquiry to examine the role of a North Carolina business in torture.”
January 31 – February 1, 2013 – Retired Colonel Morris Davis, a former prosecutor at Guantánamo Bay spoke at four venues in the Triangle and Johnston County. His talks, which highlighted the injustice of holding prisoners indefinitely and without charge was covered by The Smithfield Herald, The News & Observer and The Fayetteville Observer and Davis was interviewed on The State of Things a public-interest program on WUNC-FM 91.5.
At every talk, Davis made the point that the military considers the Geneva Conventions its “bible,” and the U.S.’ abandonment of the rule of law has been opposed along the way by many in the Armed Forces and the JAG corps.
There is also a short video of Col. Davis reviewing the topics of his talk available.
January 5, 2013 – Nearly two dozen volunteers worked to clean up 2.5 miles of Swift Creek Road, adjacent to the Johnston County Airport and in front of Aero Contractors, a transportation hub of the CIA’s extraordinary rendition program.
November 16, 2012 – Christina Cowger, a co-founder and coordinator of North Carolina Stop Torture Now, was recognized for her leadership by the Wake County chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union at the group’s annual W.W. Finlator Award dinner.
September 19, 2012 – The News & Observer republished a September 14, Los Angeles Times editorial calling for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence to promptly release results of their investigation into CIA interrogation and detention practices and for the Obama administration to create a public commission to ” … examine the torture policies of the Bush era with the same rigor and access to information that informed the report of the 9/11 Commission.”
Also, September 19, 2012 – The News & Observer published a letter from NCSTN coordinator Christina Cowger, noting that a recent Human Rights Watch report:
” … reveals that the U.S. detained exiled opponents of former Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi in places such as Afghanistan and Thailand and subjected them to terrible abuses.
The CIA then secretly ‘rendered’ these detainees to Libya – in at least two cases flying them aboard planes based in Kinston and Smithfield and operated by CIA-affiliated Aero Contractors – and handed them to Gadhafi on a silver platter.”
July 1, 2012 – The Smithfield Herald, the weekly newspaper distributed free throughout Smithfield and Selma, reported on a June 26 protest and vigil at the Johnston County Courthouse in Smithfield, NC.
According to the Herald, activists “lined East Market Street” … “holding blown-up photos of Muslim men and banners condemning torture.”
June 27, 2012 – The Washington Post published a Letter to the Editor written by NCSTN coordinator, Christina Cowger, which fulfilled her pledge to Khadija Anna Lucia Pighizzini Britel to clarify or correct the circumstances of her husband’s captivity in Morocco.
June 26, 2012 – Activists continued to demand accountability for the U.S. torture, disappearance and secret detention program at Smithfield, NC and Charlotte, NC. At Smithfield, the gathering of 17 activists was covered by The Smithfield Herald, a free weekly paper distributed throughout the communities surrounding the Johnston County Airport.
May 12, 2012 – U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder offered no comment on a torture report researched and written by University of North Carolina law students during his remarks at the law school commencement. NCSTN activists distributed Mother’s Day Cards to graduates and their guests.
April 28, 2012 – NC Stop Torture Now collaborated with several other organizations, including the Beloved Community Center, to sponsor a 6-hour public event entitled “Our Responsibility to Oppose the Abuse of State Power: Moving Together Towards a More Humane Society.” The event was held at the Dynacom Event Center in Greensboro, and drew over 100 people from all over the state. Topics included racially-targeted mass incarcerations; increasing attacks and repression against Latinos and Muslims; torture and extraordinary rendition; police brutality, misconduct and corruption; solitary prison confinement as torture; repression of dissent, abuse of the RICO statute, and other related issues.
February 10, 2012 – The Washington Post featured the coalition’s many years of work to expose North Carolina’s links to the U.S. torture program in an article titled: “Hangar 3’s Mystery.”
January 19, 2012– NC Stop Torture Now and allies—including Steven Watt, Legal Director of the ACLU Human Rights campaign; Professor Deborah Weissman, UNC School of Law Human Rights and Immigration clinic; and David LaMotte, representing the NC Council of Churches—delivered a report authored by students in the clinic and accompanied by declarations from two survivors of kidnapping, secret detention and torture facilitated by Aero Contractors. In a meeting at the NC State Administration Building, while a vigil occurred outside, the report was received by Mark Davis, General Counsel to Gov. Perdue, and David Elliott, Director of Victims’ and Citizens’ Services for Attorney General Cooper. The delivery of the report was covered by The Washington Post (in a February 10 feature) widely by local media including the News & Observer, ABC11-WTVD, the Smithfield Herald, and WPTF.
January 15, 2012 – The News & Observer published a reminder of North Carolina’s involvement in kidnapping, disappearance and torture. Deborah Weissman, Reef C. Ivey II Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina School of Law, and Robin Kirk, a writer who teaches human rights at Duke University, announced important findings revealed in a report by students in the University of North Carolina School of Law Immigration/Human Rights Policy clinic.
January 8, 2012 – The Durham Herald-Sun published a guest column from NCSTN leader Joan Walsh.
October 3, 2011 – About two dozen supporters of torture accountability, including at least 7 Johnston County residents, gathered to watch as the Johnston County Board of Commissioners listened and responded to a letter from the wife of Abou El-Kassim Britel, who was transported to more than 8 years of torture. The letter from Khadija Anna L. Pighizzini, read by Allyson Caison, says plainly: “Aero Contractors, which transported my husband to secret detention and torture on behalf of the CIA, has its headquarters in North Carolina.” Anna also wrote: “The evil that we experienced has scarred us deeply. We are tired, and incredulous that human beings can suffer so much while others remain totally indifferent.”
October 2, 2011 – Organized by Peggy Misch, who is the NC Stop Torture Now liaison to the Orange County Bill of Rights Defense Committee, volunteers asked visitors to Chapel Hill’s annual arts festival, Festifall, to endorse a North Carolina Commission of Inquiry on Torture. We collected 98 postcards from about 52 individuals who called on Governor Perdue and Attorney General Cooper to investigate Aero Contractors and endorsed the Commission.
September 15, 2011 – Allyson Caison visited the office of her Congresswoman, Rep. Renee Ellmers, Second District, North Carolina. Ellmers’ district includes the headquarters of Aero Contractors at the Johnston County Airport. Allyson spoke with staffer Adam Wood and explained our concern desire for a thorough, independent and public investigation of North Carolina’s support for U.S.-sponsored torture and–particularly–Aero Contractors’ association with the kidnap, clandestine transport, secret detention and torture of numerous individuals.
July 4, 2011 – Peggy Misch and Joan Walsh did personal outreach and offered action opportunities during the Independence Day celebration in Carrboro. Among the actions offered at the event was the opportunity for folks to endorse the Call for a Citizens’ Inquiry on Torture.
June 22-26, 2011 – Peggy Misch offered educational materials and resources to participants in the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly, a national gathering, hosted in Charlotte this year.
June 23-26, 2011 – NCSTN members shared information, did personal outreach, and offered action opportunities to participants in the inaugural Wild Goose Festival, described by the festival’s public relations manager, Mike Morrell, as “a gathering to promote justice, spirituality and art … ” Among the actions offered at the event was the opportunity for folks to endorse the Call for a Citizens’ Inquiry on Torture.
June 6, 2011 – At the Johnston County Board of Commissioners meeting this date, Commissioner Mims assigned Commissioner Wade Stewart to view the video Allyson and Chuck had provided each commissioner one month earlier (see below) and report back.
May 22, 2011 – The Durham Herald-Sun published a letter from NC Stop Torture Now member, Joan Walsh asking why Senator Richard Burr is such a fan of torture.
May 4, 2011 – Chuck Fager and Allyson Caison again visited the Johnston County Board of Commissioners at their regularly scheduled meeting and provided each Commissioner, the County clerk, County Attorney, and a member of the Johnston County Airport Authority Board of Directors with a copy of the 20-minute National Religious Campaign Against Torture video Ending U.S.-Sponsored Torture Forever, which may be viewed online here.
April 4, 2011 – Chuck Fager and Allyson Caison visited with the Johnston County Board of Commissioners to update them on efforts for accountability. Commissioner Cookie Pope recommendedUnbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption (HIllenbrand, Random House, 2010) to Chuck.
March 28, 2011 – Students from the UNC Law School Immigration and Human Rights Clinic and a Johnston County activist reported on their meeting with Johnston County Manager Rick Hester and County Attorney David Mills. The county officials identified Sheriff Bizzell as the appropriate person to investigate Aero Contractors.
March 25-26, 2011 – Duke Divinity School, Duke Human Rights Center, North Carolina Council of Churches, and National Religious Campaign Against Torture convene a two-day conference: “Towards a Moral Consensus Against Torture.”
March 10, 2011 – Town Hall Precinct of the Orange County Democratic Party, NC adopted two resolutions on “US Loss of Moral Bearings Regarding Due Process for Detainees,” and “Support of Due Process for Anti-War and International Solidarity Activists.”
February 12, 2011 – NCSTN members joined allies at the fifth annual HK on J march and rally.
February 1, 2011 – Geoffrey Mock, Chair of Amnesty International’s Middle East Country Specialistsreminded readers of the News & Observer that Egypt’s new vice president, Omar Suleiman, personally guided the cruel and inhuman treatment of at least two prisoners transported to captivity by Aero Contractors under direction of the CIA in a program of enforced disappearance the human rights group calls systematic.
January 23, 2011 – Nearly a dozen friends gathered for a vigil at the Johnston County Courthouse. Several motorists honked approval of a large banner reading: “Torture Accountability Starts at the Top.”
December 15, 2010 – NC Stop Torture Now joined an effort organized by the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law to call on Attorney General Holder and the US Department of Justice to launch “a thorough investigation—conducted by all relevant Inspectors General with full access to all relevant witnesses, documents, tapes, photographs, and other material, and culminating in a public report—would serve the interests of justice, and … ‘provide greater accountability and reliability in the invocation of the state secrets privilege.'”
The letter reminds the Justice Department of its own policy providing that, “in a case where the state secrets privilege is properly invoked but the complaint raises credible allegations of government wrongdoing, ‘the Department [of Justice] will refer those allegations to the Inspector General of the appropriate department or agency.'”
NCSTN joined the ACLU of North Carolina, Amnesty International USA, the Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Center for Constitutional Rights, Human Rights First, No More Guantánamos, Physicians for Human Rights and other groups and individuals in signing the letter.
November 17, 2010 – Accompanying a report on the British government’ s agreement to provide unspecified settlement payments to several former Guantánamo Bay detainees, for that nation’s alleged complicity in their torture, The News & Observer included a sidebar noting that at least 5 of the detainees scheduled to receive compensation had been flown to torture by Aero Contractors, Ltd. a company headquartered in North Carolina and — for some time operating out of a state-subsidized facility in Kinston, NC.
November 15, 2010 – Hundreds of North Carolinians signed their names on a letter to torture survivorsand their families, offering acknowledgement and apology in the absence of government action. In just three weeks during October 2010, members of North Carolina Stop Torture Now combined with allies atthe Peace Booth to collect signatures from about 800 residents of over 80 communities in North Carolina. The development was announced as a new report by Amnesty International revealed progress in eight European countries toward accountability for crimes in connection with the U.S.-led extraordinary rendition program.
“As citizens of North Carolina,” the letter to survivors states, “we express our deep regret for the suffering you have endured or are continuing to suffer either at the hands of our government or proxy states.” North Carolinians feel a special responsibility to reach out to torture survivors, the letter continues, because North Carolina’s taxpayer-funded airports have hosted the torture taxis, and the state is home to many who have served in the Armed Forces or in covert operations. These North Carolinians may themselves have suffered from witnessing or participating in human rights abuses.
October 3, 2010 – NC Stop Torture Now joins the Orange County Bill of Rights Defense Committee for outreach to visitors to Festifall, Chapel Hill’s annual autumnal arts festival. NCSTN asked visitors to write brief apolitical letters of support to the 184 men yet detained at Guantánamo Bay.
September 29-30, 2010 – NCSTN Coordinator, Christina Cowger, represented NCSTN at a meeting among national experts and organizational leaders to consider “Tactical Mapping for Accountability.”
September 24, 2010 – Raleigh’s News & Observer publishes an opinion piece co-written by Steven Edelstein and Christina Cowger. Read the piece here.
September 2, 2010 – Constituents of Rep. David Price and their allies met the Congressman to thank him for his support and seek guidance on continuing efforts to achieve accountability. Among the items shared with Rep. Price was a summary of survivors’ attempts to obtain restorative justice via the U.S. judiciary.
July 24, 2010 – Members and allies gather for a vigil on the airport perimeter.
May 5, 2010 – The Clayton News-Star published an opinion piece, “Torture program scarred many people,” Christina Cowger’s articulation of our view that accountability for U.S.-sponsored torture must begin at the top and make room for healing the harm to victims, survivors and perpetrators.
May 1, 2010 – A small group met and gathered nearly 30 signatures on this petition at the Clayton Wal-Mart. As has become familiar, nearly 2 in 3 of those approached agreed to sign the petition.
April 8-10, 2010 – NCSTN collaborated with Duke Human Rights Center, the Immigration & Human Rights Policy Clinic at The University of North Carolina School of Law, and the International Human Rights Law Society at Duke University Law School to organize a three-day conference Weaving a Net of Accountability: Taking on extraordinary rendition at the state and local level. The conference received generous support from a diversity of organizational and individual co-sponsors and was hosted by Duke University.
March 21, 2010 – Rev. Mark Davidson, Pastor at the Church of Reconciliation; Rev. Robert Seymour, Pastor Emeritus at Binkley Baptist Church; and Steve Edelstein, Esq., a member of NC Stop Torture Now; offered comments at a dedication of Chapel Hill Church of Reconciliation’s display of a Rabbis for Human Rights and National Religious Campaign Against Torture banner reading: “Honor the Image of God …Stop Torture Now.”
March 15. 2010 – The News & Observer prints an Op-Ed by NCSTN coordinator and Weaving a Net conference organizer questioning revocation of invited speaker’s visa.
February 2, 2010 – NCSTN releases a Scorecard on Torture: The Obama Administration’s First Year, which was reprinted by The Independent, mentioned briefly in the Raleigh News & Observer and covered on Greensboro Fox Channel 8 Web site.
December 7, 2009 – Chuck Fager and Jule Shanklin represented NCSTN at the monthly meeting of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners.
November 14, 2009 – NCSTN collaborated with No More Guantánamos to host a fundraiser for the E P M civil rights fund, which helps underwrite the costs associated with three NC attorneys’ legal advocacy on behalf of Sharifullah and other Guantánamo detainees.
November 2, 2009 – Chuck Fager was the lone NCSTN representative at the Johnston County Board of Commissioners. In spite of a confrontation with a hostile constituent, Chuck noted that the Commissioners are increasingly engaged with us and our issues.
September 8, 2009 – Two commissioners, Tony Braswell and W. Ray Woodall, chose to leave the meeting rather than hear a constituent address the Board and present petitions gathered in events described below.
August 8, 2009 – Petition drive continues. Six members gather another 60 signatures from Johnston County residents on this petition.
August 3, 2009 – Johnston County resident Timothy Hodges, president of the county NAACP, leads testimony to the Johnston County Board of Commissioners during the public comment period of the board’s monthly meeting.
July 12, 2009 – More than a dozen volunteers from the North Carolina counties of Johnston, Durham, Orange, and Wake carried out a “stop torture” visibility vigil.
During nearly 2 hours, motorists passing below responded mostly in support of a message urging them to “Stop CIA Torture Flights!”
Along NC Highway 42, a Johnston County resident pulled over, signed our petition and asked to become more involved.
July 2, 2009 – Christina Cowger, Spencer Bradford (NC Council of Churches), Steven Edelstein and Johnston County residents Allyson Caison and Julia Elsee met with Al Delia, Policy Director, and Megan Brown, Policy Advisor, Office of Governor Beverly Perdue to encourage the Governor to proactively engage in efforts to end North Carolina’s support for the ongoing extraordinary rendition program. Mr. Delia told the group that the State of North Carolina could not pursue a criminal investigation of Aero Contractors’ or other North Carolina entities’ involvement in extraordinary rendition without the active cooperation of Federal authorities. (He believed it would be impossible to prove conspiracy in kidnapping, torture, etc., without Federal cooperation.) Mr. Delia said he was personally sympathetic, but Gov. Perdue would not do anything on the issue, because it was not a priority.
June 13, 2009 – A small but committed contingent of NCSTN members gathered signatures on this petition in the parking lot of the Clayton Wal-Mart on US Business Hwy 70. During two hours on the asphalt, 5 of us gathered approximately 50 signatures. Remarkably, those we approached were most often supportive of our efforts. A consensus among those who worked the crowd was that nearly two-thirds of those approached signed.
June 1, 2009 – Chuck Fager and Allyson Caison revisited the Johnston County Board of Commissioners. This was Chuck’s fourth visit to the Board to advocate for an investigation of Aero Contractors and Chairman Wade Stewart initially acted to silence Commissioner Braswell’s objection to another appeal, but responded to Chuck’s inquiry by noting his and the Commission’s stalwart support for Aero Contractors and even endorsing an expansion of the extraordinary rendition program to capture adversaries in North Korea and Iran.
Allyson offered the Commissioners testimony summarizing an article she she shared with the Commissioners reporting on how one Al Qaida captive had resisted water boarding and other torture, but broke down and spilled his guts after being offered a cookie. Allyson then noted that this showed how even seemingly small gestures of humanity could help promote big changes, and concluded her testimony by sharing homemade chocolate chip cookies to each of the board members.
May 10, 2009 – At the invitation of UNC Law graduates, NCSTN activists and allies gathered in protest of the appearance of torture advocate and former U.S. Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey as the featured speaker for the commencement exercise. Mother’s Day cards were distributed to graduates’ families.
April 28, 2009 – NCSTN releases a statement summarizing our view on transparency, accountability and restitution.
April 6, 2009 – NCSTN activists, led by Chuck Fager of Quaker House, returned to the Johnston County Board of Commissioners to learn whether any had discussed concerns raised February 2 with Congressman Bob Etheridge. The group left the Commissioners with copies of a 70-page, topically indexed packet NCSTN provided to the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee regarding North Carolina’s links to and support of the extraordinary rendition program.
March 20, 2009 – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) heard testimony, March 20, from Colleen Costello, Human Rights USA, Michael Ratner, Center for Constitutional Rights, and other allies in the struggle to end the U.S. torture policy and seek meaningful accountability for the most recent authors and perpetrators of these policies during a battle described by the Bush Administration as a War on Terror. North Carolina Stop Torture Now filed a letter in support of the petition for this hearing by the World Organization for Human Rights USA and the Center for Constitutional Rights.
March 10, 2009 – North Carolina state Representatives Paul Luebke (30th District), Earl Jones (60th District), and Pricey Harrison (57th District) wrote selected members of the North Carolina Congressional delegation to seek follow-up on earlier calls for an FBI investigation of Aero Contractors.
March 2, 2009 – About two dozen anti-torture activists again visited the Johnston County Board of Commissioners to learn if they would investigate or take action against their renegade tenant. Floyd McGurk, a retired Army officer with 2 sons and other family members on activity duty in Iraq testified, as did four Johnston County residents including the wife of an activity duty Marine. Ultimately, the Board took no action except to promise to raise the issue with Congressman Etheridge as private citizens. Chairman Wade Stewart even offered an endorsement of torture: “”If torture were not … at times … effective … it would have ceased 2,000 years ago, because it didn’t work.” The meeting was reported in the March 11 edition of The Smitfield Herald (Smithfield, NC).
February 2, 2009 – Nearly 20 anti-torture activists from Johnston, Carteret, Orange, Durham, Wake, and Cumberland counties attended the meeting of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners to ask the Commissioners to take action against torture flights emanating from their county airport and operated by the CIA-affiliated shell company, Aero Contractors Ltd. But, the Commission took no action on a request to direct the Johnston County Airport Authority to adopt a pledge to prohibit future rendition flights and seek information about past flights originating from JNX.
January 17, 2009 – A score of activists vigil across the street from the Governor’s Mansion, putting Governor Perdue on notice that we expect her campaign pledges of accountability to extend to ending the state’s supporting role of the extraordinary rendition program.
December 9, 2008 – Nearly a score of activists and allies demonstrated in support of Maher Arar’s quest for justice in the U.S. Courts in downtown Raleigh. Later that evening, the event’s co-sponsor, the Human Rights Coalition of North Carolina honored NC STN co-founder Peggy Misch for her commitment and work on behalf of human rights.
November 17, 2008 –The Johnston County Airport authority referred a proposed policy statementcommitting the Board and airport operating staff to monitor and investigate Aero Contractors. Reporter Bob Geary described the event on his blog for The Independent Weekly.
November 13, 2008 –Our group was honored to be recognized by the Wake County chapter of the ACLU as the 2008 winner of the group’s Civil Liberties Award, for “… efforts to expose and stop torture and extraordinary rendition.” The award was presented at the annual W.W. Finlator Dinner.
November 8, 2008 – Nearly a dozen activists gathered for a monthly vigil at the Johnston County Airport, encouraged by approving honks and waves from passing motorists. Informational literature was shared with the curious and two more Johnston County residents asked to join future efforts.
October 20, 2008 – Ten activists, including 6 service-learning students and three Johnston County residents delivered a policy statement crafted by the Duke Chapter of Amnesty International calling on the Johnston County Airport Authority to investigate tenant Aero Contractor’s alleged historic and ongoing support of the extraordinary rendition program.
September 15, 2008 – NCSTN joined as a friend of the court in a lawsuit brought by the Center for Constitutional Rights against private contractors CACI International Incorporated and Titan Corporation (now L-3 Communications Titan Group) that charges the companies with torture and other heinous and illegal acts while they were providing interrogation and interpretation services, respectively at detention facilities in Iraq, including at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison.
September 14, 2008 – New Garden Friends Meeting, Greensboro, NC hosts “North Carolina Says NO to Torture,” an event featuring a performance piece by Hector Aristizabal.
September 13, 2008 – Chuck Fager of Quaker House; represented NCSTN at the UNC Parr Center for Ethics’ Symposium: “Torture & Interrogation: Have We Gone Too Far?” by offering his view on the Torture-Industrial Complex.
September 13, 2008 – Twenty-two NCSTN members and allies, including at least three Johnston County residents, and an ally from Robeson County gathered during a 4-hour vigil concurrent festivities at the Johnston County Airport’s annual Open House. At the request of airport officials we stopped giving out helium balloons out of concern for the safety of pilots and passengers, but distributed informational literature and engaged many Open House visitors in one-on-one conversation.
September 10-12, 2008 – Chuck Fager, of Quaker House; and Andy Silver represented NCSTN at the Evangelicals for Human Rights summit on “Religious Faith, Torture and our National Soul.”
August 9, 2008 – Nine NCSTN members and allies (including three members of Amnesty International – Group 213, Raleigh) held another monthly vigil at the Johnston County Airport. A member of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee of Durham distributed flyers to passing
July 28, 2008 – Following an invitation secured by an ally with the Triangle Chapter of Code Pink, four members and allies of NCSTN – including representatives of the ACLU and the Human Rights Coalition of North Carolina – met with Congressman Brad Miller (NC-13) to share our concerns and ask for his support.
July 18, 2008 – Seven constituents of Congressman Price meet to thank him for his support and seek guidance on the way forward toward Congressional investigations of the U.S. torture program and North Carolina links to extraordinary rendition.
July 17, 2008 – Congressman Price (D – 4th District, NC) calls for a Congressional Investigation of Aero.
July 12, 2008 – Allies and NCSTN activists encouraged curious passers by pull to the roadside to learn more about Aero Contractors during our monthly vigil at the perimeter of the Johnston County Airport.
June 19, 2008 – HB 2417 passed out of House Judiciary I on a 4-3 vote. In advance of the vote, the bill’s sponsors distributed a persuasive editorial from The Fayetteville Observer.
June 17, 2008 – 37 constituents turned out in support of HB2417, Crimes of Torture and Enforced Disappearance, for its hearing in the House Judiciary I committee, but the bill was tabled for additional discussion and a vote on Thursday, June 19.
June 8, 2008 – Fifty-six members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including Congressman David Price (Dem. – NC-4), urged U.S. Attorney General Mukasey to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the Bush administration’s authorization of torture.
May 21, 2008 – HB 2417 “Crimes of Torture and Enforced Disappearance ” introduced in North Carolina General Assembly.
May 20, 2008 – Allyson and Walt Caison honored by NC Peace Action as Peacemakers of the Year, 2008.
May 3, 2008 – Duke Center for Human Rights and NCSTN co-host a conference titled: “Waterboarding, Ghost Planes and Guantánamo: Inside America’s Secret War,” featuring talks from Moazzam Begg, Tina Monshipour Foster and Brad Garrett, and an afternoon of strategy sessions and workshops.
May 1, 2008 – FBI’s Assistant Director for Congressional Affairs, Robert Powers, tells Congressman Watt his agency has been waiting since October 2006 for a go-ahead to launch an investigation into Aero Contractors.
April 23, 2008 – During House Judiciary committee testimony, Congressman Mel Watt asks FBI Director Robert Mueller for an update on a criminal investigation of Aero Contractors referred to the agency by NC Attorney General Roy Cooper.
March 8, 2008 – Alerted by NCSTN, Irish allies meet a rendition-linked aircraft at Shannon and demand it be searched for captives.
March 7, 2008 – North Carolina Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission report specifically recognized what one commissioner called “the elephant in the room,” — US government sponsorship of torture and enforced disappearance supported by CIA-front companies operating in North Carolina. The Commission convened a Torture Offense Subcommittee that met on January 18 and noted that “the people of North Carolina do not condone torture and that it is contrary to who they are as Americans.”
January 18, 2008 – The Torture Offenses Subcommittee of the NC Sentencing & Policy Advisory Commission meets to consider HB 1682 and classify the offenses created by the bill. The Subcommittee recognizes Aero Contractors as the “prototype offender” for whom the bill is designed. The Subcommittee recommends adding a preamble that North Carolinians do not condone torture, and recommends numerous other wording changes designed to strengthen the bill.
January 11, 2008 – NCSTN joins key allies in the human rights and civil liberties community to demand the closure of the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay.
December 23, 2007 – The Fayetteville Observer covered NCSTN’s ongoing effort to directly monitor and photograph aircraft linked to torture flights at stopovers in North Carolina. The story focused on the August 29 arrival of N475LC at KFAY, which is documented at our planespotting page.
November 28, 2007 – NCSTN planespotter captures image of N478GS at Fayetteville Regional / Grannis Field.
November 21, 2007 – NCSTN honored by the Independent Weekly with one of five 2007 Citizen Awards.
October 27, 2007 – NCSTN with the help of numerous co-sponsors organizes a “PEACE RALLY & WALK OF REMEMBRANCE FOR VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF WAR AND TORTURE,” in Smithfield, NC home to Aero Contractors’ headquarters.
October 18, 2007 – Maher Arar testifies by video link to a joint meeting of House subcommittees of the Foreign Affairs and Judiciary. Lawmakers apologize to Arar for his mistreatment. None of the three NC Congressional Representatives sitting on the committee calls to expand the investigation of rendition to include Aero Contractors.
October 12, 2007 – Three NCSTN activists learned that the Johnston County District Attorney’s office plans to dismiss charges against them connected to their attempts to deliver a Citizens’ Arrest demanding Aero Contractors’ senior management cooperate with investigations of criminal conduct by three of the company’s pilots.
September 29, 2007 – The German government ends pursuit of extradition requests for 13 CIA agents charged with kidnapping a German citizen and taking him to Afghanistan for interrogation and abuse. Relations with the US government, Berlin says, are more important.
September 26, 2007 – “Unheard voices in the War on Terror,” a panel discussion hosted by Duke Human Rights Center features Canadian rendition survivor, Maher Arar via video link; Arar’s legal counsel, ACLU lawyer Steve Watt; British journalist and author of Ghost Plane, Stephen Grey; NCSTN Coordinator, Christina Cowger; and readings from “Poems from Guantanamo.”
September 7, 2007 – Germany Makes Official Request to US in ‘CIA Rendition’ Case. <http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2773299,00.html>
August 24, 2007 – Two planespotters photographed another rendition-linked aircraft at Fayetteville Regional/Grannis Airfield. This aircraft is registered to L 3 IS LLC, a Great Falls, Montana company thought to be yet another brass plate company doing front work for the CIA.
August 9, 2007 – Anonymous planespotter photographs another mysterious airplane at Johnston County Airport.
August 8, 2007 – NCSTN and ACAT-Germany send joint letters to Chancellor Merkel, Secretary of State Rice, and Attorney General Gonzales.
July 24, 2007 – Two NCSTN Activists spot and photograph an aircraft linked to rendition flights: N168D.
July 23, 2007 – Investigative reporter at SourceWatch.org reports identification of three pilots named by alias in German indictments.
June 26, 2007 – Four NCSTN Activists join in coordinated lobbying effort to restore habeas corpus. Three delegates meet with Congressman Brad Miller and ask specifically whether he will prompt to FBI to investigate Aero Contractors.
June 9, 2007 – Nearly two-dozen citizen activists receive training on the techniques of monitoring ground traffic and radio communications at Johnston County Airport.
May 23, 2007– The Kinston Free Press reports that Aero Contractors is no longer flying from the Kinston JetPort at the stat-subsidized Global TransPark facility.
May 10, 2007 – Three of eight activists who walked through an open gate onto Johnston County airport property while trying to deliver citizens’ arrests are convicted of criminal trespass. Each served notice of intent to appeal the decision to a jury trial in Superior Court.
May 2, 2007 – NCSTN representatives and allies including Christina Cowger and Steven Edelstein met with Julia White, Senior Policy Advisor to Attorney General Roy Cooper, and Kristi Hyman, his Chief of Staff, and provided them with documentation of Aero’s involvement in rendition to torture. They informed the staff of H.B. 1682, the NC No Place for Torture Act, which had been introduced on April 19, 2007, and requested that the AG issue a supportive statement. They invited the AG to attend a press conference on the bill scheduled for mid-May.
April 19, 2007 – Johnston County Democratic Party passed resolution asking for investigation of Aero.
April 18, 2007 – H.B. 1682, the North Carolina “No Place For Torture” Act, filed in NC House of Representatives.
April 9, 2007 – Citizens’ arrest at Aero headquarters, Johnston County airport. Eight people arrested while attempting to deliver citizens’ arrest warrants.
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
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 19, 2007 – Meeting with U.S. Rep. Brad Miller (NC-13) by several constituents and NCSTN members, resulting in Rep. Miller’s agreement to cosponsor H.R. 1352, the “Torture Outsourcing Prevention Act.”
March 2007 – NCSTN member approached Johnston County Board of Commissioners Chair Cookie Pope and other commissioners to ask for investigation; no response.
February 23, 2007 – Second meeting with U.S. Rep. Etheridge’s aide Russ Swindell about Aero, attended by members of CodePink, ACLU and NCSTN.
February 14, 2007 – Meeting with Rose Auman, District Director for U.S. Rep. David Price, regarding Aero and rendition.
January 18, 2007 – Twenty-two state legislators wrote to Attorney General Roy Cooper, refuting SBI Director Pendergraft’s claim that she lacked jurisdiction, and re-iterating call for investigation of Aero.
December 11, 2006 – NCSTN 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.
October 17, 2006 – NCSTN members brought Aero problem to attention of South Carolina’s U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and NC First Lady Mary Easley after Graham’s speech at NCSU.
October 2, 2006 – Twelve NC state legislators wrote to SBI Director Pendergraft, requesting investigation of Aero. On October 17, 2006, Pendergraft 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 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.
September 21, 2006 – Vigil outside Governor’s Mansion regarding Aero and rendition.
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 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 1, 2006 – Letter requesting Aero investigation from NC Council of Churches to Governor Easley, Attorney General Cooper, SBI Director Pendergraft, GTPA Board Vice-Chair Gene Conti, GTPA Executive Director Darlene Waddell, and NC General Assembly members.
August 29, 2006 – NC State Sen. Ellie Kinnaird met with the Legislative Liaison from Attorney General Cooper’s office and asked that the SBI investigate whether the rendition flights were continuing.
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.
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.
June 20, 2006 – Meeting by NCSTN members with GTPA Vice-Chair Gene Conti and GTPA Executive Director Darlene Waddell to request investigation of Aero. No action resulted.
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 Fourth 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.
May 2, 2006 – About 15 members of NCSTN attended the annual Board Meeting of the NC Global TransPark Authority 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 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.
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.
April 17 and May 20, 2006 – ‘Listening Project’ conducted in Johnston County, surveying approximately 250 residents regarding torture.
April 7, 2006 – Vigil outside Governor’s Mansion, covered in News & Observer.
April 5, 2006 — CodePink met with Russ Swindell, aide to U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge, about rendition and other issues.
April 5, 2006 – Meeting with Mr. Franklin Freeman, Chief of Staff to Gov. Easley, by five members of NCSTN, 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 NCSTN 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 U.S. Senators and President Bush had indicated that the U.S. government does not engage in torture.
January 6, 2006 – Visibility action at Aero’s hangar at GTP, Kinston.
January 5, 2006 – Trial of “Aero 14” in Johnston County, with expert witnesses Rev. Bill Finlator and Daniel Pollitt, law professor emeritus, UNC.
Ongoing since December 2005 – Monthly vigils at several locations: Primarily at the intersection of Swift Creek Road and US Business Hwy 70, near the Johnston County Airport; but also at Glenwood Avenue near Crabtree Valley Mall; and the Governor’s Mansion.
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.
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 second degree, misdemeanor 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.