A Libyan military commander is taking legal action against former British foreign secretary Jack Straw, over his rendition to Gaddafi’s Libya.
Formerly exiled rebel leader Abdel Hakim Belhadj says that he was kidnapped by CIA agents in Thailand, before being taken to Libya via the UK territory of Diego Garcia.
The BBC revealed earlier this month that the UK allowed the rendition of Mr Belhadj and his wife. The Sunday Times has now reported that Jack Straw directly authorised the transfer.
Mr Belhadj’s lawyers have now served court papers on Mr Straw to force him to reveal any involvement he had with this case.
The former foreign secretary is accused by Mr Belhadj, who is now a military commander in Libya, of complicity in "torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, batteries and assaults" committed by Thai, US and Libyan security forces.
The Metropolitan Police is now investigating the claims, which could lead to Jack Straw facing criminal charges.
A spokeswoman for the British Government said:
"The Government's position on torture is well-known. We stand firmly against it and any cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. We do not condone that and we do not ask others to do it on our behalf."
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
