APPG on Extraordinary Rendition

Andrew Tyrie responds to the publication of documents from the FCO and British Security Services which reveal details of the former government’s involvement in extraordinary rendition. These include a telegram apparently from then Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to the embassy in Washington which stated he had “no objection” to the American plans to render UK detainees from Afghanistan to Guantanamo Bay, and viewed it as “the best way to meet our counter-terrorism needs”.

Andrew Tyrie responds to the Prime Minister’s announcement that there will be an independent judge-led inquiry into allegations of UK involvement in rendition and the mistreatment of detainees abroad. Andrew Tyrie MP said: “The Prime Minister’s courageous decision to hold a judge-led inquiry, and to set aside a number of objections that will have been put to him, is a huge step forward. It can give the public confidence that the truth on British involvement in rendition will come out.”

The Joint Committee on Human Rights report on Counter Terrorism Policy and Human Rights was published today. It recommends the publication of past guidance to the intelligence services on the detention and interrogation of suspects overseas, the reform of the ISC, and describes the “urgent need for an independent inquiry”. Andrew Tyrie MP said: “I’m pleased that the Joint Committee on Human Rights has renewed its support for an inquiry into British involvement in rendition and the mistreatment of suspects overseas. They join a long list of supporters, which includes almost everyone except the government."

In response to the Court of Appeal’s decision to reinstate a paragraph of its judgment in the case of Binyam Mohamed, Andrew Tyrie MP calls for a full judicial inquiry into the UK’s involvement in extraordinary rendition and reform of the Intelligence and Security Committee. Andrew Tyrie said: “The ISC has been misled by the Secret Services on their knowledge of Binyam Mohamed’s mistreatment. Every bit as troubling, the passages released today reveal concern among senior judges that Foreign Secretary David Miliband may also have been misled by the Security Services. This would render the Foreign Secretary’s assurances on rendition wholly unreliable.”

Andrew Tyrie MP responds to the publication of Jonathan Sumption's letter, and the Master of the Rolls' decision to review the decision to remove a contentious paragraph from his judgment. Andrew Tyrie said: “The release of this letter, in which the government requested that a certain paragraph of Wednesday’s judgment be removed, gives further cause for concern on at least two fronts.” “First, it appears to call into question the government’s motives for obstructing the release of the intelligence information. Second, it provides evidence to show that the parliamentary watchdog over the security services – the Intelligence and Security Committee – has not been able to do its job properly.” “Hitherto, the government has justified its reluctance to publish information derived from the exchange of intelligence with a foreign power on the grounds that release could prejudice further exchanges and leave Britain more vulnerable. The government has a point. However, in this case, the information released strongly implies that the government’s motive was to protect itself from criticism for complicity.”