Today, subcommittees of the House Foreign Affairs and Judiciary committees will begin investigating the U.S. policy of kidnapping and secretly flying suspected enemies to third countries where they are held incommunicado, without charge and tortured. Maher Arar, a Canadian citizen who was captured at JFK airport and tortured for 10 months in Syria, will testify.

The North Carolina congressional delegation and especially members of these committees must expand the inquiry to include Smithfield-based Aero Contractors, Ltd., the company widely alleged as the hub of most rendition flights -- though not Arar's kidnapping.

Congregations and human rights groups throughout North Carolina and the Southeast will gather in Smithfield on Oct. 27 to mourn and honor the victims and survivors of war and torture and to demand justice and an end to U.S. sponsorship of torture.

Our congressional representatives should join us.

Josh McIntyre

Raleigh

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