Poland denies CIA prisons existed on its soil

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland said on Friday it had not hosted secret CIA prisons, reacting to a report by a European investigator who said he had proof of such detention centers.

"Poland maintains its position...There were no secret centers in Poland," a foreign ministry spokesman said.

Swiss senator Dick Marty said in a report that Poland housed some of the CIA's most sensitive prisoners under a post-9/11 pact to hunt down and interrogate "high value" terrorist suspects wanted by the United States.

Poland and Romania, also accused by Marty of hosting the centers, have repeatedly denied the allegations.

Jerzy Szmajdzinski, who was Poland's defense minister during the time when the alleged detentions took place, also denied the existence of such prisons.

"Marty's work is pure political fiction...It is a waste of time and a waste of money," Szmajdzinski told Reuters.

Poland is one of Washington's leading allies in Europe. It is negotiating terms for placing elements of a U.S missile defense system on its soil.

The European Union called on its member states accused by Marty to hold independent investigations.