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UK 'was inappropriately involved in rendition' UK 'was inappropriately involved in rendition'
(35 minutes later)
There is evidence Britain was inappropriately involved in the rendition and ill-treatment of terror suspects, an inquiry has revealed.There is evidence Britain was inappropriately involved in the rendition and ill-treatment of terror suspects, an inquiry has revealed.
Ken Clarke is briefing MPs on the findings of an inquiry into allegation of wrongdoing in MI5 and MI6 in the wake of 9/11. Retired judge Sir Peter Gibson reviewed 20,000 top secret documents after allegations of wrongdoing by MI5 and MI6 officers in the wake of 9/11.
There is no evidence British officers were directly involved in torture, said Mr Clarke. He found no evidence officers were directly involved in the torture or rendition of suspects.
Retired judge Sir Peter Gibson has reviewed 20,000 top secret documents. But he said further investigation was needed into evidence of complicity.
Minister without portfolio Ken Clarke announced that a further investigation by a committee of MPs and peers will now be held into areas of concern highlighted by Sir Peter.
Sir Peter told reporters: "It does appear from the documents that the United Kingdom may have been inappropriately involved in some renditions. That is a very serious matter. And no doubt any future inquiry would want to look at that."Sir Peter told reporters: "It does appear from the documents that the United Kingdom may have been inappropriately involved in some renditions. That is a very serious matter. And no doubt any future inquiry would want to look at that."
Jack Straw, who was foreign secretary during the period covered by the report, welcomed Mr Clarke's announcement of a further investigation by a committee of MPs and peers, at which he and other witnesses will be able to give evidence. 'Not robust enough'
In a statement to MPs, Mr Clarke said the guidance for intelligence agencies on detention and torture was "inadequate" in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 and "it is now clear that we were in some respects not prepared for the extreme demands suddenly placed on them".
The "oversight" of intelligence activities with detainees was "not robust enough," the former justice secretary added.
Mr Clarke did not rule out the possibility of a judicial inquiry into rendition claims after the Intelligence and Security Committee has completed its report.
Jack Straw, who was foreign secretary during the period covered by Sir Peter's report, welcomed the Parliamentary committee's investigation, at which he and other witnesses will be able to give evidence.
But he stressed that he never condoned the ill-treatment of terror suspects during his time in office.But he stressed that he never condoned the ill-treatment of terror suspects during his time in office.
"I was never in any way complicit in the unlawful rendition or detention of individuals by the United States or any other states," he told MPs."I was never in any way complicit in the unlawful rendition or detention of individuals by the United States or any other states," he told MPs.
'Repeated objections'
He said he had agreed to the transfer of British nationals being held in the US to Guantanamo Bay but added: "We never agreed in any way to the mistreatment of those detainees or to the denial of their rights."He said he had agreed to the transfer of British nationals being held in the US to Guantanamo Bay but added: "We never agreed in any way to the mistreatment of those detainees or to the denial of their rights."
He urged MPs to accept "that we made repeated objections to the United States government about these matters and that I was able to secure the release of all British detainees from Guantanamo Bay by January 2005".He urged MPs to accept "that we made repeated objections to the United States government about these matters and that I was able to secure the release of all British detainees from Guantanamo Bay by January 2005".
Sir Peter's report does not offer final conclusions because it did not have the chance to interview witnesses. Instead it sets out the issues Mr Gibson feels need to be examined further. Sir Peter's report does not offer final conclusions because it did not have the chance to interview witnesses because of ongoing police investigations. Instead it sets out 27 issues he feels need to be examined further.
It identifies 200 possible instances of involvement or awareness of mistreatment - of these 40 cases were investigated in depth as considered most illustrative of the issues. "It would be wrong to leave these issues, many of which relate to matters of policy, unexamined for the unknown amount of time it will take for the police to complete their related investigations," said Mr Clarke.
There are no details of individual cases - just the issues raised by them collectively. They point to awareness and possible complicity in mistreatment but not direct torture or mistreatment by British intelligence officers. "The period of time was one in which we and our international partners were suddenly adapting to a completely new scale and type of threat from fundamentalist, religious extremists.
"Many UK intelligence officers had to operate in extraordinarily challenging environments subject to real personal danger. But everyone in the government and everyone in the agencies accept this bravery has to be combined with clear rules of proportionality, accountability, to ensure we uphold the values we are working hard to defend.
"While we accept intelligence operations must be conducted in the strictest secrecy, we also expect there to be strict oversight of those operations to ensure at all times they respect the human rights that are a cornerstone of this country's values."