Britain to probe torture claims of terror suspects

LONDON - The British government is to investigate claims that its security services have been complicit in the torture of British nationals held by other countries in the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks in the US.

Prime Minister David Cameron said an inquiry led by a retired High Court judge would look into allegations that British officials were implicated in the improper treatment of detainees.

“While there is no evidence that any British officer was directly engaged in torture in the aftermath of 9/11, there are questions over the degree to which British officers were working with foreign security services who were treating detainees in ways they should not have done,” Cameron told parliament.

The inquiry would have access to all relevant government papers, including those held by the intelligence services, although not all its hearings would be in public.

“Let’s be frank, it is not possible to have full public inquiry into something that is meant to be secret,” said Cameron.

The three-member panel would start its work at the end of this year and report within a year, said Cameron. He said about a dozen cases had been brought in courts about the actions of British personnel.

Cameron also said that the Conservative-Liberal government was “committed to mediation” with individuals who had lodged civil claims in connection with their detention at the US camp of Guantanamo Bay and would offer compensation “where appropriate”.

There are currently 13 separate cases before the courts of ex-detainees seeking compensation from the British government for torture.

The most prominent among them is that of Binyam Mohamed, a British resident released from Guantanamo in early 2009. Mohamed, from Ethiopia, has alleged that he was tortured in Morocco and Pakistan while being held by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), with the knowledge of the British.

“For the past few years the reputation of our security services has been overshadowed by allegations about their involvement in the treatment of detainees held by other countries,” said Cameron.

“These allegations are not proven but today we do face a totally unacceptable situation. Our reputation as a country that believes in human rights, fairness and the rule of law - indeed for much of what the services exist to protect - risks being tarnished,” he said.

“The longer these questions remain unanswered, the bigger the stain on our reputation as a country that believes in freedom, fairness and human rights grows.”