In his words, regardless the recent US Senate report, the department has nothing to investigate about the alleged operation of a secret detention centre for suspected terrorists.
“There is nothing new to say because everything that has been announced was identical to what everyone was already speaking about for the past five years. Prosecutors made it very clear that, as long as there is nothing specific, there is nothing to talk about (…). Inside Lithuania, we have nothing to investigate,” Grina told journalists at the parliament on Tuesday.
After summoning the security chief to the parliament, members of the ruling Order and Justice party inquired about the actions the institution took following the recent US Senate report about detention and torture of suspected terrorists in secret overseas sites. US daily The Washington Post and non-governmental organizations said the “violet” center listed in the report was based in Lithuania.
“Publishing of the report enabled us to receive additional information about the former detention and interrogation program. The volume of the possible actions was explained to the society by the Prosecutor General‘s Office. US president reportedly terminated the program back in 2009, and the ad hoc commission of the (Lithuanian) Seimas provided a conclusion on the matter in 2010. As far as I know, the Prosecutor General’s Office has resumed the investigation, therefore, I cannot comment on the process, as I do not head the competent institution,” said the security chief.
Asked whether the department attempted to identify the high-ranking Lithuanian official who sanctioned establishment of the secret detention center, Grina said he cannot comment on actions taken by the political leadership.
“Actions of the national leadership should be assessed by politicians, not the SSD director. I can hardly imagine a situation in a democratic country where a security chief establishes politicians who are right and who are wrong,” he added.
Earlier this month, the US Senate published a report that described the interrogations of suspected members of Jihad movement al Qaeda by the US Central Intelligence Board including torture. Information about specific countries that accommodated the centers is concealed in the report.
“This is an internal US matter and it strange that internal battles are shifted to Lithuania and that many do not understand it in Lithuania,” Grina said in comment of the Senate report on Tuesday.
In his words, operations of secret services should not be subjected to public discussions.
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