Do Millipedes have spines?

Do Millipedes have spines?

The government was accused last night of hiding behind claims of a threat to national security to suppress evidence of torture by the CIA on a prisoner still held in Guantánamo Bay.

An unprecedented high court ruling yesterday blamed the US, with British connivance, for keeping the "powerful evidence" secret, sparking criticism from lawyers, campaigners and MPs, who claimed the government had capitulated to American bullying.

Two senior judges said they were powerless to reveal the information about the torture of Binyam Mohamed, an Ethiopian-born British resident, because David Miliband, the foreign secretary, had warned the court the US was threatening to stop sharing intelligence about terrorism with the UK.

In a scathing judgment, Lord Justice Thomas and Mr Justice Lloyd Jones said the evidence, and what MI5 knew about it, must remain secret because according to Miliband, the American threats meant "the public of the United Kingdom would be put at risk".

The judges made clear they were unhappy with their decision, but said they had no alternative as a result of Miliband's claim. Their ruling revealed that Miliband stuck to his position about the threat to the UK even after Barack Obama signed orders two weeks ago banning torture and announcing the closure of the Guantánamo Bay prison camp.

Last night Miliband seemingly backtracked on his office's submission, saying there had been no threat by the US to break off intelligence co-operation. "It's American information and it is for the Americans to decide whether to publish their information," Miliband told Channel 4 television.

Evidence of torture 'buried by ministers' | World news guardian.co.uk


Miliband defends secrecy stance

David Miliband statement on US 'torture pressure'

David Miliband has told MPs that releasing classified US information could do "real and significant damage" to British national security.

Publishing details of the treatment of Binyam Mohamed against US wishes could hurt trust key to intelligence sharing.

The Lib Dems said documents proved the US had threatened the UK over the issue, a claim that Mr Miliband denies.

A US government letter to the Foreign Office warned of "lasting damage" to intelligence sharing if this happened.

'Real threat'

Mr Miliband has said the US did not threaten to "break off" security cooperation if its secret papers had been made public, a claim made by two High Court judges in a ruling on Wednesday.

But Channel 4 News reported that the US State Department wrote to the Foreign Office last August saying the publication of classified documents relating to the case was "likely to result in serious damage to US national security".

Disclosure of the information could also "harm existing intelligence information-sharing arrangements" between the two nations, the letter added.

Miliband defends secrecy stance

So our special relationship with the US reminds me of those relationships enjoyed by the victims of sex offenders, based on threats disguised as promises. Well, "the public of the United Kingdom would be put at risk", certainly sounds like a threat to me.

On another note, it seems the new tenant of the Oval Office has finally decided whilst adding arthropods to the collection, to keep the old poodle.

"It has heard it's Master's call..." (Nod to Tolkin)

 

Technorati Tags: UK,government,Guantánamo Bay,national security,suppress evidence of torture,CIA,US,Binyam Mohamed,David Miliband,Lord Justice Thomas,Mr Justice Lloyd Jones,MI5

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