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US threatens to withhold intelligence from Britain after Guantanamo court case
Kiran Randhawa14 May 2009
The US government has threatened to withhold future intelligence from Britain if a court releases details of the torture of former Guantanamo detainee Binyam Mohamed.
The High Court has so far ruled out publication of edited CIA papers describing Mr Mohamed's ordeal but agreed to re-open the case after his lawyers argued it was unclear if the new government held the same position as the Bush administration.
A letter has since been filed by the Americans warning they will stop sharing secrets with the UK if the documents are published.
Mr Mohamed, 30, who was living in London as a student before his arrest, alleges he was tortured into falsely confessing to terrorist activities and claims MI5 officers were complicit in his abuse. He was held in Pakistan, Morocco and Afghanistan between 2002 and 2004, before Guantanamo and released in February.
He says among the abuses he endured in the last seven years were being beaten and scalded and having his penis slashed with a scalpel.
The letter, marked “Obama administration's communication” was filed by the Foreign Office, which is continuing to keep details of Mr Mohamed's treatment secret.
It reads: “If it is determined that (her Majesty's Government) is unable to protect information we provide to it, even if that inability is caused by your judicial system, we will necessarily have to review with the greatest care the sensitivity of information we can provide in the future.”
Although Mr Mohamed's lawyers have been allowed to see the seven paragraph summary of Mr Mohamed's treatment, it has been kept from the British public.
The letter added: “The seven paragraphs at issue are based upon classified information shared between our countries.”
It adds: “Specifically, disclosure of this information may result in constriction of the US-UK relationship, as well as UK relationships with other countries.”
Mr Mohamed, who was born in Ethiopia, was arrested in Pakistan in 2002. He claimed he wanted to kick a drug habit and get away from London, where he worked as a cleaner and studied electrical engineering.
Reader views (6)
We had every responsiblity for Mr Mohamed, and the High Court confirmed that duty. We should be greatful that the case revealed the lies of politicians and the horror of the UK colluding in torture.
- Clive Allen, Brighton, UK, 15/05/2009 05:14
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So, we'll be deprived of the false information extracted by American torturers to prove what people like Dick Cheney want to show. Then we won't be able to put it in dodgy dossiers to prove what our own lords and masters want to show. Be careful, we could even miss the next war.
- Tony Woolf, London UK, 14/05/2009 18:35
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Well done the US they could start by refusing Gordon Brown and the 'lick spittle' Milliband access to the USA. These people cannot be trusted with any important information.
- Nick Holland, glasgow, 14/05/2009 14:51
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I'm not at all surprised.Good job really.Britain's loyalties lie with the terrorist for some unknown reason.
- Steve, London, 14/05/2009 13:51
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Hmmmmm so you go to the place where 90% of the worlds opium is trafficked through to kick a drug habit when you are an ethiopian national?
This man has what could easily be termed a very dodgy case and no wonder he was picked up. Doesn't excuse what happened after that fact but why go to a warzone over the control of the heroin trade if you are a drug addict?
- Duncan, Kent, 14/05/2009 13:51
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".. living in London as a student .."
We have no responsibility for this individual. Deport him now.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 14/05/2009 13:51
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