Government accused over 'torture'

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The government has been accused of trying to suppress "embarrassing and shaming" evidence of the UK's role in torture, at a High Court hearing.

It is appealing against a ruling that allegations by former Guantanamo Bay detainee Binyam Mohamed be made public.

A QC told the court CIA admissions over his treatment would expose the government to "criminal liability for an international war crime".

The case is being heard by three of the country's most senior judges.

Ethiopian-born Binyam Mohamed, a legal resident of the UK, alleges he was tortured while held by US agents before being taken to Guantanamo Bay.

Lawyers for Foreign Secretary David Miliband are asking the appeal court to block a High Court decision to disclose sensitive material received from the US relating to the allegations.

But on the second day of the hearing, Dinah Rose QC, appearing for Mr Mohamed, argued: "Admissions of serious international war crimes cannot properly be described as confidential."

HIGH COURT RULING (Oct 09) <a class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/16_10_09_mohamed.pdf">Summary</a> <a class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/16_10_09_mohamed_judgement.pdf">Full judgement</a> Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader <a href="http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html">Download the reader here</a>

She said: "The US must have have understood in sending such information to the UK that the UK is a responsible democracy and must, in some circumstances, come under an obligation further to disclose that material.

"It could never have expected admissions of such serious criminal conduct could be covered up in all the circumstances."

The High Court was entitled to find the material had "no operational intelligence sensitivity at all," she added.

Earlier this year Lord Justice Thomas and Mr Justice Lloyd Jones said they wanted to release a seven-paragraph summary of what Washington had told London about Mr Mohamed's treatment.

But Mr Milliband has refused to release the information, accusing the court of acting beyond its powers. He says says disclosure could jeopardise the UK's intelligence-sharing relationship with the US.

The case is due to last three days and a judgement is expected in the new year.