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MI5 'used James Bond clause over the torture of detainees'
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor4 Feb 2009
HOME SECRETARY Jacqui Smith is to be quizzed by Parliament over allegations that British security services used a "James Bond-style get-out clause" to collude with torture of terror suspects.
A number of suspects arrested in Pakistan at the request of Britain have claimed that they were repeatedly tortured by the country's notorious Inter-Services Intelligence Agency. The men were then questioned by MI5.
Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights, which is made up of MPs and peers, is probing the claims as part of a wider investigation into the UN charter against torture. Andrew Dismore, chairman of the committee, said a combination of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and the Intelligence Services Act 1994 led him to conclude "that the security services may be operating under a James Bond-style get-out clause".
Mr Dismore said that the allegations - which centre on British-based citizens - were so serious that the committee would call Ms Smith to give evidence. "We have got a number of issues we now want the Home Secretary to come and answer," he said.
Yesterday, members of the joint committee heard that British officials put pressure on the Pakistani authorities to get information and "knew very well" they were using torture during their investigations. Ali Dayan Hasan, from Human Rights Watch, said: "Pakistani government officials, and security officials in particular, were very open about this. In many private conversations they have told me they were asked to do this by the UK - this is what they say, not once but repeatedly."
The hearing was told that UK security services had operated outside the law.
The Guardian reported last year that several suspects claim they were tortured by members of the Pakistani security services before being questioned by the British.
Some appeared to have been taken to the same secret interrogation centre in Rawalpindi. One of the alleged victims, Rangzieb Ahmed, from Manchester, says that in 2006 he was beaten, whipped, deprived of sleep and had three fingernails extracted by ISI agents at the Rawalpindi centre before being interrogated by two MI5 officers.
In December, a jury at Manchester crown court convicted him of being a member of al Qaeda and of directing a terrorist organisation. Before Ahmed's trial began, the judge ruled that he did not believe the fingernails had been taken out before the meeting with MI5.
A second man, from Luton, alleges he was whipped, suspended by his wrists and threatened with an electric drill. Another man, accused of being an al Qaeda terrorist from the West Midlands, claimed he was hooded and interrogated by people speaking English.
Reader views (3)
The hypocrisy of our government, and, all other supposedly civilised governments around the world make me sick!
- Kevin Sullivan, Roehampton, London., 04/02/2009 13:49
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I hope we did retain this option. You need all measuresat your disposal to deal with the likes of Al-Qaeda.
Big Boys Rules for Big Boys Games.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, 04/02/2009 11:37
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Then you would have to question the Foreign Secretary, because an MI6 Officer interrogated some Pakistanies in Athens a few years ago, in a similar fashion. He was never named but try Nick Langman for size !
- Kathy Doyle, London, 04/02/2009 09:37
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