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| UK 'settles rendition case' with former Libyan dissident | UK 'settles rendition case' with former Libyan dissident |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The UK government has reached a settlement with former Libyan dissident Abdul Hakim Belhaj over a long-running rendition case, the BBC understands. | The UK government has reached a settlement with former Libyan dissident Abdul Hakim Belhaj over a long-running rendition case, the BBC understands. |
| Mr Belhaj claims MI6 helped the US kidnap him in Thailand in 2004 to return him and his wife to Libya, where he says he was tortured. | Mr Belhaj claims MI6 helped the US kidnap him in Thailand in 2004 to return him and his wife to Libya, where he says he was tortured. |
| The attorney general will make a statement in Parliament on Thursday. | The attorney general will make a statement in Parliament on Thursday. |
| The settlement terms are unknown but Mr Belhaj, 52, has previously demanded an apology and a token £1 in damages. | The settlement terms are unknown but Mr Belhaj, 52, has previously demanded an apology and a token £1 in damages. |
| A leading opponent of the then Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, Mr Belhaj says he was abducted in Bangkok - along with his pregnant wife, Fatima Boudchar - while attempting to fly to London to claim UK asylum. | A leading opponent of the then Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, Mr Belhaj says he was abducted in Bangkok - along with his pregnant wife, Fatima Boudchar - while attempting to fly to London to claim UK asylum. |
| Mr Belhaj claims MI6 provided key intelligence in 2004 on his movements which ultimately led to the capture and rendition of him and his wife by the US to Libya. | |
| Rendition is the process of sending a suspect for interrogation in another country where torture may be practised. | |
| Now a politician in Libya, Mr Belhaj spent six years in prison upon his return to the country and Moroccan-born Ms Boudchar was released shortly before giving birth. | Now a politician in Libya, Mr Belhaj spent six years in prison upon his return to the country and Moroccan-born Ms Boudchar was released shortly before giving birth. |
| Human rights charity Reprieve says Ms Boudchar and her son will be in Parliament for Thursday's statement. | Human rights charity Reprieve says Ms Boudchar and her son will be in Parliament for Thursday's statement. |
| Who is Abdul Hakim Belhaj? | Who is Abdul Hakim Belhaj? |
| Mr Belhaj was born in 1966 in the Souq al-Jumaa area of Tripoli and studied at al-Fateh University, where press reports say he earned a civil engineering degree. | Mr Belhaj was born in 1966 in the Souq al-Jumaa area of Tripoli and studied at al-Fateh University, where press reports say he earned a civil engineering degree. |
| He became an opponent of Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi and commanded the now defunct Libyan Islamic Fighting Group which staged a low-level insurgency war and three times attempted to assassinate Col Gaddafi. | He became an opponent of Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi and commanded the now defunct Libyan Islamic Fighting Group which staged a low-level insurgency war and three times attempted to assassinate Col Gaddafi. |
| He fled the country in 2001 but was arrested three years later in Thailand and was returned to Libya by, he says, the CIA. | He fled the country in 2001 but was arrested three years later in Thailand and was returned to Libya by, he says, the CIA. |
| He then spent six years in prison where he says he was tortured regularly. | He then spent six years in prison where he says he was tortured regularly. |
| Mr Belhaj is now a politician in Libya. | Mr Belhaj is now a politician in Libya. |
| Once regarded by Western intelligence services as a terrorism suspect, Mr Belhaj alleges he was tortured by his Libyan jailers and questioned by British intelligence officers during his detention. | Once regarded by Western intelligence services as a terrorism suspect, Mr Belhaj alleges he was tortured by his Libyan jailers and questioned by British intelligence officers during his detention. |
| Former foreign secretary Jack Straw, who was responsible for MI6 at the time, has denied he was aware of the rendition of Mr Belhaj. | Former foreign secretary Jack Straw, who was responsible for MI6 at the time, has denied he was aware of the rendition of Mr Belhaj. |