Extraordinary Rendition

The term extraordinary rendition as used in the realm of American criminal justice relates to the practice of government agents, usually employed by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), seizing a person believed to have ties to terrorist activities and transporting him (it invariably has been a man) to another country where he will be tortured. The reason for the adjective “extraordinary” is not clear. Perhaps it connotes the use of the practice when it was first employed, during the presidential administrations of Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, when it was rarely invoked. Since September 11, 2001, however, extraordinary rendition has been much more customary. Given its secret nature, there are no reliable numbers regarding its extent. However, an analysis of the logs of flight paths ...