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Rice defends U.S. terror policy

Heads to Europe amid secret CIA prison reports

WASHINGTON: U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday gave the United States' most detailed defence yet of its treatment of suspected terrorists, saying U.S. actions were lawful and suggesting that European nations cooperate with American intelligence agencies.

But in remarks delivered at an Air Force Base shortly before on a trip to Europe, she steadfastly refused to answer the underlying question of whether the United States had CIA-operated secret prisons there.

``We cannot discuss information that would compromise the success of intelligence, law enforcement, and military operations. We expect other nations share this view,'' Dr. Rice said in a statement at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.

"No" to torture

She said the U.S. ``will use every lawful weapon to defeat these terrorists.'' She said the U.S. did not permit or tolerate torture under any circumstances.

Reports of the existence of the secret prisons has caused a trans-Atlantic uproar. The European Union has asked the Bush administration about these reports. Britain, which holds the revolving presidency of the E.U., sent a two-paragraph letter to Washington late last month demanding more information about reports that the CIA detained and interrogated terrorism prisoners in Soviet-era compounds in Eastern Europe.

In Germany, a government spokesman, Ulrich Wilhelm, said his Government had a list of more than 400 overflights and landings by planes suspected of being used by the CIA. He told reporters, ``We are hoping that all of the facts will be discussed'' by Dr. Rice with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

AP

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