THE CIA has conducted more than 1000 secret flights over Europe since 2001, some to transfer terror suspects, European Parliament investigators claimed yesterday.

MEPs presented their first preliminary report, working off data provided by the EU's air safety agency and information gathered during three months of hearings and more than 50 hours of testimony by individuals who claimed to have been kidnapped and tortured by US agents.

Sarah Ludford, a Liberal Democrat peer and MEP on the investigating committee, said: "There is now no doubt the CIA has been responsible for the abduction and illegal detention of alleged terrorists on EU soil. It is now also clear EU governments have either turned a blind eye or actively collaborated with the CIA."

Three weeks ago, The Herald revealed how the Foreign Office had admitted for the first time that PrestwickAirport was used by the US to transport a terror suspect back to America.