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UK rendition and torture collusion inquiry scrapped UK rendition and torture collusion inquiry scrapped
(40 minutes later)
A controversial inquiry into allegations of wrongdoing by the UK's security services is being scrapped.A controversial inquiry into allegations of wrongdoing by the UK's security services is being scrapped.
Justice Secretary Ken Clarke said the inquiry into the treatment of detainees could not continue because of police investigations. Justice Secretary Ken Clarke said the inquiry into the treatment of detainees could not continue because of Metropolitan Police investigations.
The Metropolitan Police is looking at fresh allegations that officials assisted the rendition of men to Libya, where they were tortured. These follow fresh allegations that officials assisted the rendition of men to Libya, where they were tortured.
Prosecutors found insufficient evidence to charge in two separate allegations. Mr Clarke said the government was committed to holding a judge-led inquiry once these were investigated.
The Detainee Inquiry, headed by retired judge Sir Peter Gibson, was launched by Prime Minister David Cameron who pledged to get to the bottom of claims that MI5 and MI6 had aided and abetted the rendition and ill-treatment of terrorism suspects in the wake of 9/11. The Detainee Inquiry, headed by retired judge Sir Peter Gibson, was launched by the prime minister to get to the bottom of claims that MI5 and MI6 had aided and abetted the rendition and ill-treatment of terrorism suspects in the wake of 9/11.
Speaking In July 2010 when he announced the inquiry, Mr Cameron had said that to ignore the claims of wrongdoing would risk secret operatives' reputation "being tarnished". In July 2010 when he announced the "fully independent" inquiry, David Cameron had said that to ignore the claims of wrongdoing would risk secret operatives' reputation "being tarnished".
He said that the "fully independent" investigation would start before the end of the year and report within a year. Preliminary report
But speaking in the Commons on Wednesday, Mr Clarke said that the Gibson Inquiry could not continue because the new police investigations would be so lengthy. But speaking in the Commons on Wednesday, Mr Clarke said the inquiry could not continue because the new police investigations would be so lengthy.
He said the government remained committed to holding a judge-led inquiry into allegations once all police investigations were completed. He told MPs: "There now appears no prospect of the Gibson Inquiry being able to start in the foreseeable future.
"So, following consultation with Sir Peter Gibson, the inquiry chair, we have decided to bring the work of this inquiry to a conclusion."
He added: "The government fully intends to hold an independent, judge-led inquiry, once all police investigations have concluded, to establish the full facts and draw a line under these issues."
Scotland Yard took three years looking into the cases of Guantanamo Bay detainees, he said.
Sir Peter said he regretted the inquiry would not be completed but agreed it was not practical to continue for an indefinite period.
He said it had already completed a large amount of preliminary work, including the collation of many documents from government departments and the Security and Intelligence Agencies, which it would draw together in a report.
He said: "This task now set for us remains an important one: it will ensure that the work we have done is not wasted and we hope that it will materially assist the future inquiry that the government intends to establish."
The inquiry had been widely criticised by campaign groups and lawyers representing detainees who said it lacked transparency and credibility and were refusing to take part.
'Real independence'
Clare Algar, executive director of Reprieve, said the inquiry "simply did not have the powers or the independence to get to the truth".
"We therefore look forward to working with the government to ensure that an inquiry with real clout and real independence is established once these investigations have concluded," she said.
"This is essential to ensuring that we find out who signed off on Britain's collaboration in some of the worst excesses of the 'war on terror'."
Shami Chakrabarti, director of the civil rights group Liberty said: "We welcome the sensible decision to end the embarrassment of a so-called inquiry in which neither torture victims nor human rights campaigners had faith."
The new police investigation follows claims by Abdel Hakim Belhadj, a commander of the rebel forces in Libya, who says he was tortured after being arrested in 2004.
He says he was taken from Bangkok to Libya by a joint CIA and MI6 operation which was set up to help Col Muammar Gaddafi round up his enemies.
In the second Libyan case, Sami al-Saadi has made similar allegations of British collusion in rendition and is demanding damages for the torture he says he suffered in one of Gaddafi's prisons.