This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30467471

The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Rifkind requests CIA material on UK role in torture programme Rifkind requests CIA material on UK role in interrogation programme
(about 3 hours later)
Sir Malcolm Rifkind is to request that the United States hands over material documenting the UK's role in the CIA's post-9/11 interrogation programme. Sir Malcolm Rifkind is to request that the US hands over any material documenting the UK's role in the CIA's post-9/11 interrogation programme.
The material was redacted from a US Senate report into the programme, which said CIA detainees had been tortured. A US Senate report found "brutal" treatment of al-Qaeda suspects in the wake of 9/11.
Sir Malcolm said there were "various ways" the US could be persuaded to release the classified information. Downing Street has said some material was removed from the report at the UK's request, for national security reasons.
Downing Street says the redactions were not related to UK involvement in abuse of prisoners. But it said no redactions related to British involvement in the mistreatment of prisoners.
Sir Malcolm is head of the House of Commons Intelligence and Security Committee, and is chairing an inquiry into the involvement of British intelligence agencies in the CIA's programme of detaining and interrogating al-Qaeda suspects.Sir Malcolm is head of the House of Commons Intelligence and Security Committee, and is chairing an inquiry into the involvement of British intelligence agencies in the CIA's programme of detaining and interrogating al-Qaeda suspects.
Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, he said his committee needed to discuss whether the government or intelligence or security agencies had tried to have redacted parts of the Senate report that might have been embarrassing.
'Brutal' interrogations'Brutal' interrogations
Speaking to the Observer newspaper, he admitted that it would be difficult to force the US to release the material against its will. Sir Malcolm said it was for the US government to decide whether to supply his inquiry with redacted material, rather than the Senate committee.
He said: "I am not going to go into the details of how we might try and achieve this, there are various ways we can try and advance it, but at the end of the day the actual decision on the American redacted material is for the Americans to take. "We are taking the steps that are normally taken to try to obtain information," he said.
"One point is that the only issues we are going to be asking them about are issues relevant to the United Kingdom. We don't need to see the whole of their redacted report." "There are various ways in which this might be dealt with."
A 525-page summary of the report, compiled by Democrats on the US Senate Intelligence Committee, was published earlier this week - although the full version remains classified. Asked if he was hopeful of success, he said: "I do not say I would be confident."
A 525-page summary of the report, compiled by Democrats on the committee, was published earlier this week - although the full version remains classified.
It revealed that the CIA carried out "brutal" interrogations of terrorism suspects in the years after the 9/11 attacks. Among the abuses, the committee found:It revealed that the CIA carried out "brutal" interrogations of terrorism suspects in the years after the 9/11 attacks. Among the abuses, the committee found:
However, the summary contains no reference to UK agencies.However, the summary contains no reference to UK agencies.
National securityNational security
The CIA admitted that some mistakes had been made, but insisted that the interrogation programme had saved lives and was "critical" to the agency's understanding of al-Qaeda.The CIA admitted that some mistakes had been made, but insisted that the interrogation programme had saved lives and was "critical" to the agency's understanding of al-Qaeda.
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 secret.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 secret.
When the report was published, Downing Street said any requests for redactions from the UK had been made by British intelligence agencies to the CIA.When the report was published, Downing Street said any requests for redactions from the UK had been made by British intelligence agencies to the CIA.
It said the requests had made for reasons of national security on intelligence operations, and later added that Number 10 itself had not made any requests for redactions.It said the requests had made for reasons of national security on intelligence operations, and later added that Number 10 itself had not made any requests for redactions.
Meanwhile, the Sunday Telegraph reports that Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has called for former Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to reveal what they knew about the CIA's torture and rendition programme when they were in office.Meanwhile, the Sunday Telegraph reports that Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has called for former Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to reveal what they knew about the CIA's torture and rendition programme when they were in office.
"It's for ministers in that [former Labour] government to account for their actions," he said. "That is our tradition and that's the expectation. I hope they will cooperate with any parliamentary inquiry." "It's for ministers in that [former Labour] government to account for their actions," he said.
"That is our tradition and that's the expectation. I hope they will cooperate with any parliamentary inquiry."
Following Mr Fallon's comments, Mr Straw said: "I was never complicit in any of the CIA illegal processes. I consider it to be revolting, unlawful and also unproductive, as has come out in the Senate report.Following Mr Fallon's comments, Mr Straw said: "I was never complicit in any of the CIA illegal processes. I consider it to be revolting, unlawful and also unproductive, as has come out in the Senate report.
"Of course, when it is possible for legal reasons for full inquiries to take place I will cooperate fully with them, as I always have done.""Of course, when it is possible for legal reasons for full inquiries to take place I will cooperate fully with them, as I always have done."