Raad van Europa onderzoekt om CIA geheime Al Qaeda-gevangenissen in Oost-Europa heeft opgezet (en)

The Council of Europe has appointed Swiss liberal politician Dick Marty to examine the existence of alleged secret American detention centres for terror suspects.

The decision follows press reports claiming that the US intelligence agency, the CIA, has held terror suspects captive in covert detention centres in eastern Europe.

The centres form part of a secret global prison system including sites in eight countries around the world and were set up after the 11 September 2001 attacks, according to the Washington Post.

Human Rights Watch identified Romania and Poland as two European countries possibly operating such jails, but both countries have denied the allegations.

Mr Marty's investigations may be discussed at an urgent debate as early as 25 November in Bucharest, the Council of Europe said in a statement.

In April 2005 a resolution from the Council of Europe called on its 46 member states to make sure their territories were not used "in connection with practices of secret detention."

The Strasbourg-based Council of Europe is an organisation of 46 member states and focuses its work on promoting human rights, the rule of law and democracy.