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| Release Binyam torture data - MP | Release Binyam torture data - MP |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The US government should urgently release details about the treatment of a British resident who alleges he was tortured, a senior Labour MP has said. | The US government should urgently release details about the treatment of a British resident who alleges he was tortured, a senior Labour MP has said. |
| Mike Gapes, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said America must reveal information about former Guantanamo Bay detainee Binyam Mohamed. | Mike Gapes, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said America must reveal information about former Guantanamo Bay detainee Binyam Mohamed. |
| Mr Mohamed, who arrived back in the UK on Monday, claims he was tortured by US agents who suspected him of terrorism. | Mr Mohamed, who arrived back in the UK on Monday, claims he was tortured by US agents who suspected him of terrorism. |
| Mr Gapes said any UK involvement would be "a serious stain" on the government. | Mr Gapes said any UK involvement would be "a serious stain" on the government. |
| Mr Mohamed, 30, flew to Britain after being released from the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba where he had spent more than four years. | Mr Mohamed, 30, flew to Britain after being released from the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba where he had spent more than four years. |
| The US authorities had accused him of involvement in a plot to detonate a "dirty bomb" on American soil, but the charges were dropped last October. | The US authorities had accused him of involvement in a plot to detonate a "dirty bomb" on American soil, but the charges were dropped last October. |
| Ethiopian-born Mr Mohamed claims he was tortured into falsely confessing to terrorism and alleges UK MI5 officers were complicit in his abuse. | Ethiopian-born Mr Mohamed claims he was tortured into falsely confessing to terrorism and alleges UK MI5 officers were complicit in his abuse. |
| The UK attorney general is currently consulting the director of public prosecutions over whether to order a criminal investigation into the claims. | The UK attorney general is currently consulting the director of public prosecutions over whether to order a criminal investigation into the claims. |
| 'Leaked out' Our government policy, our national policy, is total opposition to torture Mike GapesForeign Affairs Select Committee Dark moral path of Binyam case'No torture pressure' - Miliband | 'Leaked out' Our government policy, our national policy, is total opposition to torture Mike GapesForeign Affairs Select Committee Dark moral path of Binyam case'No torture pressure' - Miliband |
| Mr Gapes told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the British government should be congratulated for working to secure Mr Mohamed's release. | Mr Gapes told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the British government should be congratulated for working to secure Mr Mohamed's release. |
| But he said there must now be greater openness about his case to prevent long-term damage to the government and in particular, the reputation of the Foreign Secretary David Miliband. | But he said there must now be greater openness about his case to prevent long-term damage to the government and in particular, the reputation of the Foreign Secretary David Miliband. |
| Mr Miliband has been accused by two senior judges of bowing to pressure from the US government to keep details of Mr Mohamed's treatment secret. | Mr Miliband has been accused by two senior judges of bowing to pressure from the US government to keep details of Mr Mohamed's treatment secret. |
| "I think the solution here is that the US authorities release that information," Mr Gapes said. | "I think the solution here is that the US authorities release that information," Mr Gapes said. |
| "I think it is in the public interest... and this information will probably be leaked out at some point or another anyway. | "I think it is in the public interest... and this information will probably be leaked out at some point or another anyway. |
| "I think it's more damaging if this issue drags on - drip, drip, drip, drip, drip. | "I think it's more damaging if this issue drags on - drip, drip, drip, drip, drip. |
| "Let's get it into the open, let's also get the attorney general's report very quickly on whether or not there is a case for legal action against someone working for the British authorities." | "Let's get it into the open, let's also get the attorney general's report very quickly on whether or not there is a case for legal action against someone working for the British authorities." |
| Mr Gapes said Mr Mohamed had made some "very serious allegations" about torture - and UK's role in it - which must be investigated. | Mr Gapes said Mr Mohamed had made some "very serious allegations" about torture - and UK's role in it - which must be investigated. |
| "Our government policy, our national policy, is total opposition to torture, or complicity or collaboration in torture," he said. | "Our government policy, our national policy, is total opposition to torture, or complicity or collaboration in torture," he said. |
| "This, if it's true, is a very serious stain upon the position that consistently the government has been taking, both publicly and privately, that we do not collaborate or carry out or practice torture." | "This, if it's true, is a very serious stain upon the position that consistently the government has been taking, both publicly and privately, that we do not collaborate or carry out or practice torture." |
| Seven years | Seven years |
| Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, criticised the length of time the attorney general was taking to reach a decision about the case. | |
| "She has access to the finest legal brains in Britain, including her own, and to take four months to make a decision of this kind is a very long time," he said. "I think we need a decision now." | |
| The BBC's security correspondent Gordon Corera said it was clear that the High Court judges did believe Mr Mohamed had suffered some mistreatment, but it was difficult to get to the truth because of the secrecy involved in intelligence sharing between Britain and the US. | The BBC's security correspondent Gordon Corera said it was clear that the High Court judges did believe Mr Mohamed had suffered some mistreatment, but it was difficult to get to the truth because of the secrecy involved in intelligence sharing between Britain and the US. |
| But our correspondent said court judgements did show there had been a transfer of information from the UK to America concerning Mr Mohamed's case. | But our correspondent said court judgements did show there had been a transfer of information from the UK to America concerning Mr Mohamed's case. |
| Mr Mohamed was released on Monday afternoon after he landed at RAF Northolt in London and underwent questioning by police. | Mr Mohamed was released on Monday afternoon after he landed at RAF Northolt in London and underwent questioning by police. |
| He was held in captivity for a total of seven years - four of them in Guantanamo - after being arrested in Pakistan in 2002. He had lived in the UK from the age of 15. | He was held in captivity for a total of seven years - four of them in Guantanamo - after being arrested in Pakistan in 2002. He had lived in the UK from the age of 15. |
| The Home Office said he would be given temporary admission until a decision was made on whether he could stay permanently. | The Home Office said he would be given temporary admission until a decision was made on whether he could stay permanently. |