Bagram case reinforces inquiry demand into UK collusion in rendition abuse. (Barking and Dagenham Borough Liberal Democrats)

Barking and Dagenham Borough Liberal Democrats <barkinganddagenham@libdems4london.org.uk>

Bagram case reinforces inquiry demand into UK collusion in rendition abuse.

December 8, 2009 3:05 PM
Originally published by Sarah Ludford MEP

After an investigation, human rights NGO Reprieve reports that two Pakistani citizens, Amanatullah Ali and 'Salahuddin', who were captured by British forces in Iraq in 2004, handed over to US forces and transferred to Afghanistan, have been illegally detained and abused in Bagram prison for the last five years.

Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford said:

"The dogged work of Reprieve has yet again raised vital questions about the Blair and Brown government's collusion in illegal rendition, detention, abuse and lack of due legal process."

"The British government's justification for their capture and detention stretches belief. For example, former defence secretary John Hutton claimed that Ali is a member of Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, but this is a Sunni organisation and Ali and his family are Shia muslims. Hutton's claim that the suspects had to be transferred to Afghanistan due to a lack of interpreters in Iraq is also implausible."

"Not only should the British government demand the return of these two men for treatment under legal safeguards, but a full public enquiry should be launched into British involvement in the CIA's post 9/11 extraordinary rendition and torture programme."

ENDS