IRELAND AND THE SWEDISH EXAMPLE: SUSPICIONS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000467 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015 TAGS: PREL EAIR MARR PGOV PINR SW EI SUBJECT: IRELAND AND THE SWEDISH EXAMPLE: SUSPICIONS ON DEPORTATION VS. RENDITION REF: STOCKHOLM 527 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Jonathan Benton. Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) Post read reftel with interest, having confronted similar sensitivity from the Irish Government over a criminal deportation flight in late 2005 that was originally scheduled to transit Ireland. At the time, we quietly informed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that the charter flight would deport two sentenced criminals from the United States to their African countries of origin. Out of apparent concern that the flight would be seen to involve a rendition, the DFA requested informally that the charter be rerouted to avoid transiting Ireland. We explained the difference between rendition and deportation and emphasized the importance of U.S.-Irish law enforcement cooperation, but the DFA stood by its request. In the end, after we communicated the DFA's concerns to ICE, the flight's routing to the African destination was changed. ¶2. (C) Comment: The Irish Government's willingness to ratchet back cooperation on deportations because of the public's possible inability to distinguish deportations from renditions was troubling, and we wonder whether the similarity of our experience with Embassy Stockholm's signals a wider trend among EU Member States to withhold help on deportations as a result of the politically sensitive renditions issue. In July 2005, Ambassador and the Irish Minister of Justice signed a new instrument for bilateral mutual legal assistance, which we see as a potential mechanism for discussions to resolve Irish Government concerns about future deportation transit requests, as well as to improve Ireland's woeful bilateral extradition record. We would value whatever guidance the Department could provide for such discussions. We would also suggest that Washington agencies consider visits to Ireland and other affected Member States to address questions about U.S. deportation practices. KENNY