Police launch Guantanamo 'torture' probe

AFP European Edition | 2009-07-10 18:00:40

<div><p>The Metropolitan Police Service(MPS) said Friday they had launched a criminal investigation into allegations made by former Guantanamo Bay detainee Binyam Mohamed that he was tortured with the help of British agents.</p><p>The MPS was asked by the Attorney General, the government's chief legal advisor, to investigate allegations surrounding the Ethiopian-born British resident.</p><p>"The papers were reviewed by the MPS and the investigation accepted. A team of detectives... has now been selected and vetted to appropriate levels. As a result a criminal investigation has now begun," a police statement said.</p><p>Ethiopian-born Mohamed, 30, was arrested in Pakistan in 2002 while trying to return to Britain and spent six and a half years either in US custody or that of countries taking part in the US-run rendition programme of terror suspects.</p><p>After a lengthy campaign orchestrated by his supporters in Britain, he became the first prisoner to be released from the US-run Guantanamo camp under President Barack Obama and returned to Britain in February.</p><p>On his journey through the rendition system, Mohamed was first held for three months in Pakistan, during which time he claims he was tortured and questioned by US and British agents.</p><p>He says he was then taken to Morocco with the explicit knowledge of Britain's Security Service, where he alleges he was subjected to further torture, including sexual mutilation.</p><p>He said he became aware that his torturers in Morocco were being supplied with questions and material from British intelligence agents.</p><p>In January 2004, he was transferred to US facilities in Afghanistan for five months before being taken to Guantanamo, where he was never charged or faced trial.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=54633355&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>


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