This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/feb/26/david-cameron-orders-new-inquiry-treatment-lee-rigby-murderer-michael-adebolajo
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| David Cameron orders new inquiry into treatment of Lee Rigby murderer | David Cameron orders new inquiry into treatment of Lee Rigby murderer |
| (6 days later) | |
| The prime minister has ordered a new inquiry into claims the security services may have been complicit in the ill treatment of Michael Adebolajo, who went on to butcher a British soldier in a London street, it has emerged. | The prime minister has ordered a new inquiry into claims the security services may have been complicit in the ill treatment of Michael Adebolajo, who went on to butcher a British soldier in a London street, it has emerged. |
| The inquiry will be conducted by the intelligence services commissioner, Sir Mark Waller, an independent watchdog over the security services. | The inquiry will be conducted by the intelligence services commissioner, Sir Mark Waller, an independent watchdog over the security services. |
| It follows criticism by the official inquiry into the circumstances leading up to Lee Rigby’s murder by parliament’s intelligence and security committee (ISC) in November 2014. | It follows criticism by the official inquiry into the circumstances leading up to Lee Rigby’s murder by parliament’s intelligence and security committee (ISC) in November 2014. |
| The inquiry will centre on how MI6 dealt with claims from Adebolajo that he was badly treated during his detention in Kenya in 2010 by its counter-terrorism police, who have ties to Britain. | The inquiry will centre on how MI6 dealt with claims from Adebolajo that he was badly treated during his detention in Kenya in 2010 by its counter-terrorism police, who have ties to Britain. |
| The committee’s report found that MI6 dismissed Adebolajo’s claims as fabricated without asking the Kenyans about them. It said: “The committee has been concerned about the way SIS dealt with Adebolajo’s allegations of mistreatment. SIS [MI6] does not seem to have taken them seriously, even in the wake of previous allegations.” | The committee’s report found that MI6 dismissed Adebolajo’s claims as fabricated without asking the Kenyans about them. It said: “The committee has been concerned about the way SIS dealt with Adebolajo’s allegations of mistreatment. SIS [MI6] does not seem to have taken them seriously, even in the wake of previous allegations.” |
| Further details of the new inquiry into MI6 and claims of complicity came in the government’s response into the ISC conclusions, which also found errors by MI5 in the runup to the murder of Rigby in May 2013, near to the Woolwich military barracks in south London where he was based. | Further details of the new inquiry into MI6 and claims of complicity came in the government’s response into the ISC conclusions, which also found errors by MI5 in the runup to the murder of Rigby in May 2013, near to the Woolwich military barracks in south London where he was based. |
| The government response to the ISC findings released on Thursday said the prime minister had “asked Sir Mark to examine the concerns raised by the committee about the government’s responsibilities in relation to partner counter-terrorism units overseas. | The government response to the ISC findings released on Thursday said the prime minister had “asked Sir Mark to examine the concerns raised by the committee about the government’s responsibilities in relation to partner counter-terrorism units overseas. |
| “Sir Mark has started his examination and will report his findings in due course. SIS is cooperating fully with Sir Mark and will ensure any recommendations arising from his examination are fully addressed.” | “Sir Mark has started his examination and will report his findings in due course. SIS is cooperating fully with Sir Mark and will ensure any recommendations arising from his examination are fully addressed.” |
| The ISC report criticised evidence from the former MI6 chief Sir John Sawers, saying it was incorrect and that a document showing this was initially not given to the committee by the intelligence service. | The ISC report criticised evidence from the former MI6 chief Sir John Sawers, saying it was incorrect and that a document showing this was initially not given to the committee by the intelligence service. |
| Adebolajo alleged that he was beaten and, on more than one occasion, threatened with electrocution and rape during his detention in Kenya in 2010. The ISC said he had gone there to join extremists in neighbouring Somalia. | Adebolajo alleged that he was beaten and, on more than one occasion, threatened with electrocution and rape during his detention in Kenya in 2010. The ISC said he had gone there to join extremists in neighbouring Somalia. |
| Britain has a close relationship with Kenyan anti-terrorism forces and has paid for some of their facilities. | Britain has a close relationship with Kenyan anti-terrorism forces and has paid for some of their facilities. |
| The ISC said Adebolajo was interviewed first by Kenyan police and then by a counter-terrorism unit, the ATPU, whose name the committee redacted, using the term Arctic instead. “This unit has a close working relationship with HM government (HMG),” the report says. | The ISC said Adebolajo was interviewed first by Kenyan police and then by a counter-terrorism unit, the ATPU, whose name the committee redacted, using the term Arctic instead. “This unit has a close working relationship with HM government (HMG),” the report says. |
| Adebolajo made the claims of ill treatment during a British police interview, claims which were passed into the security services. | Adebolajo made the claims of ill treatment during a British police interview, claims which were passed into the security services. |
| The ISC report says MI6 did not try to find out which Kenyan unit he claimed had tortured him. “This is surprising: if Adebolajo’s allegations of mistreatment did refer to his interview by Arctic then HMG could be said to have had some involvement – whether or not UK personnel were present in the room,” it says. | The ISC report says MI6 did not try to find out which Kenyan unit he claimed had tortured him. “This is surprising: if Adebolajo’s allegations of mistreatment did refer to his interview by Arctic then HMG could be said to have had some involvement – whether or not UK personnel were present in the room,” it says. |
| The ISC added in a paragraph partially redacted for national security reasons: “Given that *** has a close relationship with Arctic, ***, this certainly could be enough to raise questions of complicity.” | The ISC added in a paragraph partially redacted for national security reasons: “Given that *** has a close relationship with Arctic, ***, this certainly could be enough to raise questions of complicity.” |
| The report says Sawers told the committee that MI6 had no responsibility for enquiring into Adebolajo’s claims. It quotes Sawers as saying: “[The committee is] suggesting that somehow we should have treated this as an SIS responsibility, when it is simply not the case. It is not an SIS responsibility.” | The report says Sawers told the committee that MI6 had no responsibility for enquiring into Adebolajo’s claims. It quotes Sawers as saying: “[The committee is] suggesting that somehow we should have treated this as an SIS responsibility, when it is simply not the case. It is not an SIS responsibility.” |
| But an email from an MI6 officer contradicted this, saying: “We obviously need to investigate these allegations, which underline the need for continuing assurances from Kenyans on the issue of detainee treatment. We would be grateful if you could provide a summary of [HMG] and [Arctic] involvement in the investigation into Adebolajo …” | But an email from an MI6 officer contradicted this, saying: “We obviously need to investigate these allegations, which underline the need for continuing assurances from Kenyans on the issue of detainee treatment. We would be grateful if you could provide a summary of [HMG] and [Arctic] involvement in the investigation into Adebolajo …” |
| The ISC said this undermined the evidence of Sawers, who announced his departure from MI6 in October, by which time copies of the committee’s findings were circulating in security and government circles. | The ISC said this undermined the evidence of Sawers, who announced his departure from MI6 in October, by which time copies of the committee’s findings were circulating in security and government circles. |
| “This email clearly indicates that SIS officers believed that they had a responsibility to investigate the allegations made by Adebolajo, particularly in light of ***. We support this view. However, SIS has no record of any response to this email and it is not consistent with the evidence provided to the committee by the chief of SIS …” the report says. | “This email clearly indicates that SIS officers believed that they had a responsibility to investigate the allegations made by Adebolajo, particularly in light of ***. We support this view. However, SIS has no record of any response to this email and it is not consistent with the evidence provided to the committee by the chief of SIS …” the report says. |
| Furthermore, the committee said, MI6 did not initially hand over the email. “We note our concern that this email was not provided as part of the primary material initially offered in support of this Inquiry as it should have been. It was clearly relevant to the issues under consideration,” it said. | Furthermore, the committee said, MI6 did not initially hand over the email. “We note our concern that this email was not provided as part of the primary material initially offered in support of this Inquiry as it should have been. It was clearly relevant to the issues under consideration,” it said. |
| There is no date set for when the new inquiry will report. | There is no date set for when the new inquiry will report. |