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| Abdul Hakim Belhaj rendition damages case at Appeal Court | Abdul Hakim Belhaj rendition damages case at Appeal Court |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A damages action brought against the UK over a 2004 rendition case involving a Libyan politician and his wife is due to be heard at the Court of Appeal. | |
| Abdul Hakim Belhaj and Moroccan Fatima Boudchar claim British intelligence assisted the US in arranging their rendition from China to Libya. | Abdul Hakim Belhaj and Moroccan Fatima Boudchar claim British intelligence assisted the US in arranging their rendition from China to Libya. |
| Mr Belhaj was the leader of an Islamist group which fought the Gaddafi regime. | Mr Belhaj was the leader of an Islamist group which fought the Gaddafi regime. |
| He alleges the UK bore a liability for his abduction and detention - and subsequent torture in Tripoli. | He alleges the UK bore a liability for his abduction and detention - and subsequent torture in Tripoli. |
| But the High Court found last December the claims were beyond its jurisdiction. | But the High Court found last December the claims were beyond its jurisdiction. |
| The case threw the spotlight on the situation in 2004 when Mr Belhaj was an opponent of Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi, then a friend of the UK. | The case threw the spotlight on the situation in 2004 when Mr Belhaj was an opponent of Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi, then a friend of the UK. |
| Mr Belhaj says he was abducted - along with his pregnant wife - in China in 2004 as he was about to fly to London to claim asylum. | Mr Belhaj says he was abducted - along with his pregnant wife - in China in 2004 as he was about to fly to London to claim asylum. |
| He alleged the UK had tipped off Libyan intelligence services and helped the US arrange his rendition. Back in Libya, Mr Belhaj spent six years in jail. His wife was released shortly before giving birth. | He alleged the UK had tipped off Libyan intelligence services and helped the US arrange his rendition. Back in Libya, Mr Belhaj spent six years in jail. His wife was released shortly before giving birth. |
| The couple had been attempting to bring a case against former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and former senior MI6 official Sir Mark Allen. | The couple had been attempting to bring a case against former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and former senior MI6 official Sir Mark Allen. |
| The judge, Mr Justice Simon, said there appeared to be a "potentially well-founded claim that the UK authorities were directly implicated in the extraordinary rendition of the claimants". | The judge, Mr Justice Simon, said there appeared to be a "potentially well-founded claim that the UK authorities were directly implicated in the extraordinary rendition of the claimants". |
| But he said because most of the claims related to officials in China, Malaysia, Thailand and Libya the allegations were "non-justiciable" in the UK. | But he said because most of the claims related to officials in China, Malaysia, Thailand and Libya the allegations were "non-justiciable" in the UK. |
| The High Court did not hear claims against UK officials or that mistreatment took place on UK territory. | The High Court did not hear claims against UK officials or that mistreatment took place on UK territory. |