Terror suspect sues Jacqui Smith
By politics.co.uk staff
A British man who was held in Bangladesh on suspicion of terrorism is set to sue the home secretary after allegations he was interviewed by MI5 in between beatings.
Jamil Rahman, a former civil servant, gave a false confession during the torture, in which he said he masterminded the 2005 London bombings.
The government will respond to his lawyers’ communication “in due course” but the Home Office has already reiterated its opposition to torture.
Reports in the Guardian today indicate he is suing in relation to assault, unlawful arrest and false imprisonment.
Mr Rahman named the two men who interviewed him as Liam and Andrew. They are understood to have left the room when he told them his confession was false while he was beaten again.
Detectives from Scotland Yard and MI5 operatives continued to question him after his eventual release.
Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Edward Davey said the allegations strengthened the case for a full public inquiry into British involvement in torture and rendition.
“These allegations go much further than merely indicating complicity,” he said.
“If true, they would effectively amount to the torture of a British man by our own security services.”
