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CIA report: Britain spoke to US before publication CIA report: UK 'did not request torture claim redactions'
(about 1 hour later)
British intelligence agencies spoke to US counterparts about a report into CIA interrogation before it was published, Downing Street has said. None of the information the UK asked to have blacked out of a report on CIA interrogation related to claims of British involvement in prisoner mistreatment, Downing Street has said.
No 10 did not say the UK had asked for information to be left out, but said if requests were made it would not have been to hide UK involvement in torture. No 10 confirmed UK intelligence agencies spoke to US counterparts to request some redactions before the US Senate report was published.
Officials previously said no redactions had been requested, but Downing Street now says any requests would have been made for "national security reasons". But officials said requests were only made on national security grounds, not to erase "torture or rendition" claims.
The report found "brutal" tactics used. Senators found "brutal" CIA tactics.
The report, which looked at treatment of detainees in the years after the 9/11 attacks in 2001, is a 525-page summary of a 6,000-page document produced by Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee. The full document remains classified. The report, which looked at treatment of detainees in the years after the 9/11 attacks in 2001, is a 525-page summary of a 6,000-page document produced by Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee. The full document remains classified.
The published report contains no reference to UK agencies.
Dianne Feinstein, chair of the Senate committee, said CIA tactics - which included repeated waterboarding, slapping, stress positions and sleep deprivation - amounted to torture.Dianne Feinstein, chair of the Senate committee, said CIA tactics - which included repeated waterboarding, slapping, stress positions and sleep deprivation - amounted to torture.
'Protect sources'
A version of the report was finished in 2012, but there were disagreements about what should be published. Part of this process was a "classification review" by the CIA into what information should remain classified.A version of the report was finished in 2012, but there were disagreements about what should be published. Part of this process was a "classification review" by the CIA into what information should remain classified.
Ground 'shifting' Downing Street said UK requests for redactions were made "agency to agency" - by British intelligence service MI6 to the CIA.
The published report contains no reference to UK agencies. The requests were made to protect sources and for other national security reasons, No 10 added.
BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said that on Wednesday "Downing Street said to the best of their knowledge they hadn't asked for any redactions from that report". On Wednesday, Downing Street said no requests for redactions had been made.
But he said the "ground seemed to be shifting" on Thursday, as a Downing Street spokeswoman said there had been a conversation between UK and US intelligence services about the executive summary of the report. BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said a Whitehall official "pointed out" it would make no sense for the CIA to redact allegations of UK abuse while allowing its own name to be "dragged through the mud" in the Senate report.
"So it looks as though redactions were requested," our correspondent said. Key findings:
"But she [the spokeswoman] went on to say these were on the grounds of national security, not on the grounds of British complicity in torture or any British involvement, either directly or indirectly, in the mistreatment of suspects." What is 'enhanced interrogation'?
Information obtained from the Foreign Office by human rights charity Reprieve in August suggested UK officials had met members of the Senate Intelligence Committee on 24 occasions over the previous five years. The charity did not request details of the subjects discussed. Who knew what when?
In a letter to Reprieve in July, William Hague - then foreign secretary - said: "The UK government has not sought to influence the content of the Senate report. Who were the detainees?
As well as meetings between UK and US intelligence agencies, information obtained by human rights charity Reprieve in August suggested UK government officials had met members of the Senate Intelligence Committee on 24 occasions over the previous five years.
The charity did not request details of the subjects discussed, though William Hague - then foreign secretary - said in July: "The UK government has not sought to influence the content of the Senate report.
"We have made representations to seek assurance that ordinary procedures for clearance of UK material will be followed in the event that UK material provided to the Senate committee were to be disclosed.""We have made representations to seek assurance that ordinary procedures for clearance of UK material will be followed in the event that UK material provided to the Senate committee were to be disclosed."
One of the UK officials to meet the Senate committee was Home Secretary Theresa May in 2011.
Downing Street said Mrs May "discussed a range of issues" at that meeting. She is expected to be questioned on the matter when she appears before Parliament's Home Affairs Committee on Monday.
Government ministers and UK security and intelligence agencies MI5 and MI6 have always said torture would never be used by Britain to extract information.Government ministers and UK security and intelligence agencies MI5 and MI6 have always said torture would never be used by Britain to extract information.
Parliament's intelligence and security committee is currently examining the question of whether the UK was complicit in the US mistreatment of suspects. Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee is currently examining the question of whether the UK was complicit in the US mistreatment of suspects.
On Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said he would be open to a full judicial inquiry if the committee failed to answer key questions.On Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said he would be open to a full judicial inquiry if the committee failed to answer key questions.