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| Version 9 | Version 10 |
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| MI5 denies Binyam case 'cover-up' | MI5 denies Binyam case 'cover-up' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The head of MI5 has denied officers withheld information over what it knew about the the torture of a UK resident. | The head of MI5 has denied officers withheld information over what it knew about the the torture of a UK resident. |
| In an unprecedented move, Jonathan Evans defended the security service against claims it misled MPs over the US's treatment of Binyam Mohamed. | In an unprecedented move, Jonathan Evans defended the security service against claims it misled MPs over the US's treatment of Binyam Mohamed. |
| The Court of Appeal earlier ruled that Mr Mohamed could learn what MI5 knew about his 2002 mistreatment while in secret detention in Pakistan. | The Court of Appeal earlier ruled that Mr Mohamed could learn what MI5 knew about his 2002 mistreatment while in secret detention in Pakistan. |
| The home secretary has attacked the media's "baseless" accusations. | The home secretary has attacked the media's "baseless" accusations. |
| In an article published in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Evans said that his officers had never misled parliamentarians and operated within the law. | In an article published in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Evans said that his officers had never misled parliamentarians and operated within the law. |
| He said claims of a "culture of suppression" at the heart of the security service were "the precise opposite of the truth". | He said claims of a "culture of suppression" at the heart of the security service were "the precise opposite of the truth". |
| "We will do all that we can to keep the country safe from terrorist attack," wrote Mr Evans. | "We will do all that we can to keep the country safe from terrorist attack," wrote Mr Evans. |
| "We will use all the powers available to us under the law. | "We will use all the powers available to us under the law. |
| "For their part, our enemies will also seek to use all tools at their disposal to attack us. That means not just bombs, bullets and aircraft but also propaganda. | "For their part, our enemies will also seek to use all tools at their disposal to attack us. That means not just bombs, bullets and aircraft but also propaganda. |
| "Their freedom to voice extremist views is part of the price we pay for living in a democracy, and it is a price worth paying." | "Their freedom to voice extremist views is part of the price we pay for living in a democracy, and it is a price worth paying." |
| Draft judgement altered | Draft judgement altered |
| Mr Evans's highly unusual decision to respond to specific claims came amid a row over changes made to the Court of Appeal's judgement in the Binyam Mohamed case. | Mr Evans's highly unusual decision to respond to specific claims came amid a row over changes made to the Court of Appeal's judgement in the Binyam Mohamed case. |
| BINYAM MOHAMED TIMELINE April 2002: Mistreated by US and Pakistani interrogators - arrested in Pakistan over visa irregularities and handed to US authorities as suspected terroristMay 2002: Washington gives British security officials details of treatment - interviewed by MI5 officers sent from LondonJuly 2002: Flown to Morocco and tortured for 18 months - says his interrogators received questions from LondonJanuary 2004: Transferred to Afghanistan and questioned by US agentsSeptember 2004: Taken to Guantanamo Bay - lawyers demand British documents to prove confession extracted during abuseOctober 2008: All charges against him droppedFebruary 2009: Returns to UK and continues fight for release of secret informationFebruary 2010: UK Court of Appeal rules government must publish summary of what Washington told London about treatment in Pakistan - paragraph relating to MI5 shown to have been removed after lobbying from government lawyer Binyam ruling manipulation claim Government loses torture appeal The judgement | BINYAM MOHAMED TIMELINE April 2002: Mistreated by US and Pakistani interrogators - arrested in Pakistan over visa irregularities and handed to US authorities as suspected terroristMay 2002: Washington gives British security officials details of treatment - interviewed by MI5 officers sent from LondonJuly 2002: Flown to Morocco and tortured for 18 months - says his interrogators received questions from LondonJanuary 2004: Transferred to Afghanistan and questioned by US agentsSeptember 2004: Taken to Guantanamo Bay - lawyers demand British documents to prove confession extracted during abuseOctober 2008: All charges against him droppedFebruary 2009: Returns to UK and continues fight for release of secret informationFebruary 2010: UK Court of Appeal rules government must publish summary of what Washington told London about treatment in Pakistan - paragraph relating to MI5 shown to have been removed after lobbying from government lawyer Binyam ruling manipulation claim Government loses torture appeal The judgement |
| The three most senior appeal court judges in England and Wales said on Wednesday that Ethiopian-born Mr Mohammed should be given a summary of what Washington had told British security officials in 2002 about his mistreatment in Pakistan. | The three most senior appeal court judges in England and Wales said on Wednesday that Ethiopian-born Mr Mohammed should be given a summary of what Washington had told British security officials in 2002 about his mistreatment in Pakistan. |
| The summary shows that messages were sent to London detailing how Mr Mohamed had been treated after being detained in Pakistan. | |
| Following the judgement, it emerged that the leading lawyer for the government, Jonathan Sumption QC, had lobbied the judges to remove a paragraph from the draft judgement. | Following the judgement, it emerged that the leading lawyer for the government, Jonathan Sumption QC, had lobbied the judges to remove a paragraph from the draft judgement. |
| That paragraph, which was rewritten, was said to be "exceptionally damaging" because it left the impression "that the Security Service does not in fact operate a culture that respects human rights or abjures participation in coercive interrogation techniques". | That paragraph, which was rewritten, was said to be "exceptionally damaging" because it left the impression "that the Security Service does not in fact operate a culture that respects human rights or abjures participation in coercive interrogation techniques". |
| The letter said the words, written by Lord Neuberger, the Master of the Rolls, could be taken also to mean that MI5 had misled the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), which oversees the work of the secret intelligence agencies. | The letter said the words, written by Lord Neuberger, the Master of the Rolls, could be taken also to mean that MI5 had misled the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), which oversees the work of the secret intelligence agencies. |
| Channel 4 News claimed on Thursday that the paragraph related to US documents concerning Mr Mohamed's treatment, which MI5 allegedly failed to disclose to the committee. | Channel 4 News claimed on Thursday that the paragraph related to US documents concerning Mr Mohamed's treatment, which MI5 allegedly failed to disclose to the committee. |
| However, a joint statement from the ISC chairman Kim Howells and Michael Mates, the most senior Conservative MP on the committee, said: "The director-general has confirmed to us this evening that no document concerning Binyam Mohamed and his treatment by the US authorities has been withheld from us." | However, a joint statement from the ISC chairman Kim Howells and Michael Mates, the most senior Conservative MP on the committee, said: "The director-general has confirmed to us this evening that no document concerning Binyam Mohamed and his treatment by the US authorities has been withheld from us." |
| The MPs said allegations that MI5 officers were "careless in their observance of their obligations towards the human rights of detainees" were very grave. | The MPs said allegations that MI5 officers were "careless in their observance of their obligations towards the human rights of detainees" were very grave. |
| "These are extremely serious allegations which, if true, would call into question the trust that exists between between the committee and the intelligence services," they said. | "These are extremely serious allegations which, if true, would call into question the trust that exists between between the committee and the intelligence services," they said. |
| 'Ludicrous lie' | 'Ludicrous lie' |
| Adding his voice to the row, Home Secretary Alan Johnson said claims in some parts of the media that MI5 had orchestrated a cover-up were a "ludicrous lie". | Adding his voice to the row, Home Secretary Alan Johnson said claims in some parts of the media that MI5 had orchestrated a cover-up were a "ludicrous lie". |
| "The security services in our country do not practice out torture," he said. | "The security services in our country do not practice out torture," he said. |
| "They do not endorse torture, they do not encourage others to torture on our behalf, they do not collude in torture, full stop. | "They do not endorse torture, they do not encourage others to torture on our behalf, they do not collude in torture, full stop. |
| "It's a free society, and that's actually what the security services are out there to protect. But occasionally they have to actually argue back. They can't allow that kind of misrepresentation to carry on un-thwarted." | "It's a free society, and that's actually what the security services are out there to protect. But occasionally they have to actually argue back. They can't allow that kind of misrepresentation to carry on un-thwarted." |
| Mr Mohamed has fought a long legal battle to find out what the UK knew about his treatment, claiming that MI5 was complicit in his torture. | Mr Mohamed has fought a long legal battle to find out what the UK knew about his treatment, claiming that MI5 was complicit in his torture. |
| The government resisted publishing a summary of what it knew about his treatment, saying it was US intelligence information that neither ministers nor the British courts had the authority to reveal. | The government resisted publishing a summary of what it knew about his treatment, saying it was US intelligence information that neither ministers nor the British courts had the authority to reveal. |
| The summary says that Mr Mohamed's treatment was "cruel, inhuman and degrading" and included deliberate sleep deprivation, shackling and threats that he would be "disappearing" if he did not co-operate. | The summary says that Mr Mohamed's treatment was "cruel, inhuman and degrading" and included deliberate sleep deprivation, shackling and threats that he would be "disappearing" if he did not co-operate. |
| An MI5 officer interviewed Mr Mohamed in Pakistan. US agents later flew the detainee to Morocco, where he was tortured for another 18 months. |