Another scandal involving the brutal attitude of the British troops in Iraq was uncovered last September, by Rupert Murdoch’s fervently pro-war tabloid Sun, which reported that troops from the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment (QLR) captured “pro-Saddam bandits” near the British-occupied Iraqi city of Basra; and took them to an army base there where the men were allegedly tortured and faced inhumane treatment. Among those detained was a man known only as Mr. Al-Maliki, said the World Socialist Web Site.
Investigation into the incident was immediately launched after allegations that Al-Maliki was beaten to death by one of the British soldiers. According to a Sun’s report, Al-Maliki suffered at least 50 injuries—internal and external. The other man detained was severely beaten and suffered kidney failure, while the third suffered serious internal injuries and the other six all lodged complaints about their treatment.
“They were kept like that until they fell over and could stand it no longer. Then they were either kicked and punched or put into another position... They were being treated worse than animals.”
But the UK government insists on denying those allegations, claiming that the British army never practiced torture. It’s determined people never see documents that stand as an evidence that torture was indeed used by the government to gather intelligence,
blairwatch.co.uk said.
Craig Murray was the UK ambassador to Uzbekistan, until he spoke up against the use of intelligence gained by torture. Jack Straw and the Foreign Office, tried unsuccessfully to smear him, but they successfully removed him from office.
The Foreign Office has had the draft of Craig's book for clearance for over 3 months now, and to cover their own backs, they’re trying to prevent him from publishing his side of the story. The night before Christmas Eve, they informed him that these two documents cannot be published, and that he should destroy all copies immediately.
Those documents include: Telegrams that Craig sent to the Foreign Office, detailing concern and disgust at the UK government’s use of intelligence passed on by the Uzbek security services.
Also a copy of legal advice the Foreign Office sought, to see whether they were operating within the Law in accepting torture intelligence, and according to Michael Wood the FCO legal adviser; “it’s fine, as long as it is not used as evidence.
Fighting the FCO’s attempt to cover up the British government use of and complicity in torture, Craig wrote on
blairwatch.co.uk the following:
“I am in discussion with the FCO over what I am and am not allowed to publish in my book. The FCO is seeking to gut the book of all evidence of complicity with the Uzbek regime.
“With BLAIR cornered on extraordinary rendition, they are particularly anxious to suppress all evidence of our complicity in obtaining intelligence from Uzbek torture. “In particular, they have demanded I do not publish the attached documents, and that I hand over all copies of them.
“The obvious answer to this is to post these documents as widely on the web as possible. This is also potentially very valuable in establishing that I am not attempting to make money from these documents - you don't have to buy my book to see them, they are freely available. If you buy the book, you are only paying for the added value of my thoughts.
“This will only work if we can get the [documents] very widely posted, including on sites in the U.S. and elsewhere outside the UK … there is a chance that those who … post this stuff will get threatened under the Official Secrets Act.
“In March 2003 I was summoned back to London from Tashkent specifically for a meeting at which I was told to stop protesting. I was told specifically that it was perfectly legal for us to obtain and to use intelligence from the Uzbek torture chambers.
“After this meeting Sir Michael Wood, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's legal adviser, wrote to confirm this position. This minute from Michael Wood is perhaps the most important document that has become public about extraordinary rendition. It is irrefutable evidence of the government's use of torture material, and that I was attempting to stop it. It is no wonder that the government is trying to suppress this."
Craig.
Speaking of European leaders who denied any knowledge that the Americans were using Britain’s and other European Airports in shipping prisoners back and forth to countries where prisoners face torture, Colin Powell was quoted as saying that:
"Most of our European friends cannot be shocked that this kind of thing takes place. The fact is that we have over the years had in place procedures that would deal with people who are responsible for ‘terrorist’ activities, and so the thing that is called rendition is not something that is new or unknown to my European friends."
Tony Blair on the other hand, was quoted as saying:
“Well it all depends on what you mean by rendition. If it is something that is unlawful I totally disapprove of it; if it is lawful, I don't disapprove of it. And I think Jack Straw indicated in his parliamentary answers, in fact I think on radio as well, a case back I think in 1998 when a request had been made to us. Now I don't know whether you would define that as rendition or not, all I know is that we should keep within the law at all times, and the notion that I, or the Americans, or anybody else approve or condone torture, or ill treatment, or degrading treatment, that is completely and totally out of order in any set of circumstances.”
On Wednesday, 14 December 2005, the
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, was quoted as saying:
“First, let me again make it clear to the right hon. Gentleman that this Government are completely and totally opposed to torture or ill-treatment in any set of circumstances. Our country is a signatory to the United Nations convention against the use of torture, and we will continue to uphold its provisions absolutely. Rendition does not simply apply in those circumstances; it can apply in other circumstances, as the United States Secretary of State has made clear. To be fair, they have also said that they are totally opposed to the use of torture or ill-treatment in any circumstances.”
Extraordinary rendition’ refers to allegations that some European states, which are usually referred to as “democratic states that are bound by human rights standards”, have flown what the U.S. government claims are “terror” suspects to states where they’re tortured in an attempt to gain intelligence.
This the ‘contracting out’ of torture.
Liberty, an independent human rights organization which works to defend and extend rights and freedoms in England and Wales, wrote to Foreign Secretary Jack asking him whether UK airports and bases are being used by for extraordinary rendition, and urging him to take appropriate steps to ensure that such practice does not continue.