Brussels, 23/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 19 November, Lithuania's foreign minister, Vygaudas Usackas, called for proof of facts alleged by US television channel ABC News about the discovery of a secret CIA prison in Lithuania. Usackas told Baltic press agency BNS that he had to rely on facts rather than rumours and inventions. He said the reports clearly tarnished Lithuania's image because they were constantly being repeated and the most important thing was therefore for Lithuania to carry out an investigation itself to dissipate the rumours. Lithuania's prime minister, Andrius Kubilius, explained that a serious parliamentary investigation was under way that would be publishing its findings. A parliamentary investigation committee into the allegations of a secret CIA prison in Lithuania was set up on 5 November and is expected to publish its findings on 22 December. The committee recently travelled to the site, a former horse-riding academy near the capital Vilnius, described by ABC News as a smokescreen for a secret CIA prison in 2004 and 2005. ABC News reported on Wednesday 18 November 2009 that up to eight Al Qaida suspects were interrogated at the site at any one time, quoting un-named Lithuanian government sources and a former US intelligence chief. (B.C./transl.fl)