27 Feb 2009

Britain admits rendition of prisoners from Iraq

3:07 pm on 27 February 2009

Britain's defence minister has admitted Britain had taken part in the "rendition" of suspects detained in Iraq, despite his ministry denying it for years.

In a lengthy statement to parliament, Defence Secretary John Hutton confirmed that Britain handed over two suspects captured in Iraq in 2004 to US custody.

They were subsequently transferred to Afghanistan, breaching US-British agreements.

The Ministry of Defence has been repeatedly asked over the past five years about its involvement in rendition, the unlawful transfer of suspects to a third country, and consistently denied it played any role in the US-administered programme.

"I regret that it is now clear that inaccurate information on this particular issue has been given to the House by my department on a small number of occasions," Mr Hutton said. "I want to apologise to the House for these errors."

The two men seized by British troops in Iraq in February 2004 were transferred to US detention and later flown to Afghanistan, where they remain in US custody.

Both are said to be members of Laskhar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based group with links to al-Qaeda.