Diane Abbott MP calls for inquiry into 'British complicity in torture'

Diane Abbott MP questioned Foreign Secretary David Miliband over allegations of British involvement in extraordinary rendition during his statement on the Binyam Mohamed case.

Responding to news that a Home Office request to omit several paragraphs from a previous ruling relating to the case of Binyam Mohamed had been overturned by the High Court, Diane called into question the past and present conduct of the British Government towards terror suspects.

“Is the Foreign Secretary aware that many people listening to this debate will be surprised to hear him describe the Court ruling as a vindication, when in fact he has been forced to reveal information that he has struggled for a long time not to reveal-even when it was legally available in the US? Is he aware that it cannot be right to describe the information released today as clearing the Government of any involvement, past or present, in extraordinary rendition-and thus complicity in torture? He must be aware that, whatever is happening now under a new US Administration, there are still questions to be answered about past British involvement in extraordinary rendition and thus in torture”.

David Miliband maintained that the High Court ruling would in fact prove the absence of any wrong-doing from the Government, and praised the ruling as ‘evidence that the system is working’. However Diane insisted that there were still further questions to be asked regarding this case and extraordinary rendition, to which the foreign Secretary’s response was evasive, referring to the case of Diego Garcia instead.

David Miliband said:

“Well, questions have been asked about extraordinary rendition in respect of Diego Garcia. My hon. Friend knows very well that two cases have emerged from studies of the American files. They were immediately publicised to the House in the appropriate way. There may have been subsequent questions, but there have also been answers to each and every one of those questions in respect of Diego Garcia. It is very important that we do not allow the impression to go abroad that there are outstanding issues in that respect-there are not”.

Diane has now called on the support of various MPs to campaign for an inquiry into all previous concerns raised about British involvement in extraordinary rendition and complicity in torture.

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The full text of the Foreign Secretary’s statement including Diane’s questions can be read here

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