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Home Secretary to be sued over MI5 torture allegation
Peter Dominiczak27 May 2009
Jacqui Smith faces legal action over claims that MI5 colluded in the torture of a former civil servant suspected of terrorism.
Lawyers for Briton Jamil Rahman have written to the Home Secretary claiming that she colluded in assault, unlawful arrest, false imprisonment and breaches of human rights legislation.
Mr Rahman claims that he was tortured intermittently over a two-year period in Bangladesh and that two MI5 officers turned a blind eye to his treatment.
He claims that the two men would leave the room where he was being interrogated whenever he refused to answer their questions and that he was severely beaten. He said the MI5 officers would then return to the room to resume the interrogation.
He also said his wife was held in an adjacent room and Bangladeshi officers threatened to rape her. And he claimed that during his interrogation in Bangladesh he was shown hundreds of photographs, including surveillance photographs of friends in the UK, whom he was asked to identify. He also said he was accused of “masterminding” the July 2005 suicide bomb attacks in London.
Under the threat of violence, he claims he made a false confession and said that when he told the two men, who said they were MI5 officers, what had happened they replied: “They haven't done a very good job on you.”
Mr Rahman's lawyers said that there is a wealth of evidence to support his allegations, including eyewitness testimony and medical evidence.
His lawyer, Imran Khan, wrote to Jaqui Smith last week telling her of the intention to start legal proceedings against her.
Mr Rahman said he remains deeply traumatised and is receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.
The latest claims follow accusations by former Guantanamo Bay detainee Binyam Mohamed, who said he was tortured in Pakistan and Morocco with the knowledge of MI5.
And last month Scotland Yard said it was investigating reports that the security services were complicit in the abuse of 29 prisoners, including Britons, abroad.
Mr Rahman, 31, a British citizen who grew up in south Wales, settled in Bangladesh in 2005 after marrying a woman he met while travelling in the country.
He returned to the UK last year and embarked upon legal action once his wife and child were able to join him earlier this month.
He has not been questioned by police since his return, no attempt has been made to arrest him and he has not been subjected to a control order.
Jaqui Smith and MI5 both declined to comment on the allegations.
A Home Office spokeswoman said Mr Rahman's legal team had written to the Home Secretary and said the Government would respond “in due course”.
Reader views (14)
Jack Smith and Milly Vanilli and Crash Gordon: have they ever done ANYTHING right?!??
- Georgie, Islington, London, 28/05/2009 09:40
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How long is this un-elected Crash Gordon and "dream team" circus continuing?!??
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London, 27/05/2009 17:54
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How on earth can Gordon Brown retain this hapless woman in office? She is a walking disaster: everything she touches turns to dust and she is hopelessly flat-footed as a politician. If she resigns I'll let her keep the bath plug.
- James Elliott, Eastbourne UK, 27/05/2009 15:22
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The truth will never be known because M15 can always hide behind the secrecy laws and that is the reason they behave as they do.
T H Leeds
- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK, 27/05/2009 14:45
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Physical torture yields nothing of value normally. mainly due to the fact is if you torture someone long enough they will tell you anything you want to hear.
Add to that the 7/7 bombings took place at exactly the same time and place as an official government anti-terrorist training exercise. i mean come on, whats the odds of that happening 10billion/1.
the whole thing stinks if you ask me.
- Cleaner, london, 27/05/2009 13:50
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So far we have false expense claims that so far the police have not investigated and now this what else does she have to do to be arrested and charged?
- Mike, London England, 27/05/2009 13:26
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OH MY DEAR GOD !!!!!
Another torture "claim" and surprise, surprise, it's the CHOO CHOO COMPENSATION GRAVY TRAIN COMING ALONG YET AGAIN.
Even though I detest jakee spliff, why is hardly anyone questioning, whether this "British" person is even telling the truth?
- P Staker, London, 27/05/2009 13:12
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Don't forget to take her DNA.
- Alex, London, 27/05/2009 11:37
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Why she was over-promoted to this position? Why is she still in her powerful position??
- Steveo, London NW1, 27/05/2009 10:48
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She could make a film of her life story. Jaqui does dull-as
- Gary, Brentwood, 27/05/2009 10:37
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Good.
Arrest her without reason. Detain her without charge for an unlimited length of time. Torture her. Strip her human rights away. Then release her without any charge after about 2 years.
She how she likes the system that they create.
PS. Add to the sue a reimbursement of all the expenses and allowances for the past 12 years in office.
- Graham Seed, Edinburgh, 27/05/2009 10:10
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Ten years ago everyone, particularly liberals and socialists, would have been horrified at the mention of using torture. Countries that practised it were vile. Then the Americans opened a torture camp in Cuba and started extraordinary rendition to other torture camps. As it was the Americans doing this, our socialist government did not say a word in opposition. We even let the Americans use British airports to transit the victims.
We then seem to have joined in. Leaving the room while someone is beaten and then returning, saying "they haven't done a very good job on you" makes us as guilty as anyone else. When Jacqui Smith was a student she probably marched and protested against countries like South Africa for their human rights abuses, and now she presides over interrogation involving torture. Blair, Jacqui and others should stand trial alongside the likes of Bush and Cheney. The USA and the UK are now no better than those people that we despise.
- Stephen, London, 27/05/2009 09:58
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Smith must not expect tax payers to pay for her legal representation. I hope her defense lawyers' fees cost her as much as she has cost tax payers in her bogus claims over the last four years. This would indeed be poetic justice.
- R.F., Yorks, UK, 27/05/2009 08:53
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why is it every time tacky Jacqui hits the headlines its bad not hailing any "triumphs".... she is a disgrace and must go
- David, SOUTHAMPTON, 27/05/2009 08:11
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