UK MPs for torture probe

Two British MPs have demanded a through investigation into allegations that MI5, Britain’s domestic secret service, outsourced the torture of British citizens to the Inter-Services Intelligence, the Pakistani intelligence agency. Labour member for Hayes and Harlington John McDonnell and Conservative member for Chichester Andrew Tyrie have said that these allegations should be investigated by the Intelligence and Security Committee, which looks into the policy, administration and expenditure of MI5, MI6, and the Government Communications Headquarters.

Earlier this year, four British terrorism suspects, who were separately arrested in Pakistan at the request of UK authorities, had alleged that MI5 officials had "outsourced" their torture to ISI in an attempt to extract information about a planned Al Qaeda attack against the UK. The latest demand for investigation into these allegations have come after details of three new cases were revealed recently in the media.

The home office, however, told the Guardian, which published the report about allegations, that MI5 agents "do not participate in, solicit, encourage or condone the use of torture or inhumane or degrading treatment." Labour MP McDonnell said a medical student, who asked not to be identified and who is a practising doctor now, from his constituency has alleged that he was held for two months in 2005 in the offices of the Intelligence Bureau in Pakistan opposite the British deputy high commission in Karachi.

He said he was beaten, deprived of sleep, threatened with execution and saw other inmates being tortured and added he was questioned by British officials before being released. "I have been dealing with my constituent’s case since he first went missing in Pakistan.

"The British and Pakistani authorities denied all knowledge of him being detained. We subsequently discovered he had been detained and tortured and was later interviewed by British intelligence. I want this issue exposed and then I want a statement from the Prime Minister on what the government will do to address it," Mr McDonnell said.