MI5 chief denies Binyam cover-up
Updated on 12 February 2010
MI5's Jonathan Evans denies his organisation was involved in a "cover-up" after the appeal court ruled that paragraphs relating to Binyam Mohamed's treatment should be published.
Writing in today's Daily Telegraph, Jonathan Evans denied that the government appealed against the decision to release the "seven paragraphs" because of supposed British collusion in mistreatment.
Rather, he says, it was "in order to protect the vital intelligence relationship with America and, by extension, with other countries".
He continues later in the article: "We did not practise mistreatment or torture then and do not do so now, nor do we collude in torture or encourage others to torture on our behalf."
The MI5 chief rejects allegations that MI5 had tried to cover up its activities – "That is the opposite of the truth," he claims.
And Evans warns that failing to maintain a "fair and balanced view of events" gives a propaganda advantage to "our enemies (who) will also seek to use all tools at their disposal to attack us.
"That means not just bombs, bullets and aircraft but also propaganda and campaigns to undermine our will and ability to confront them."
Political backing
The MI5 stance was backed by the home secretary Alan Johnson: "The fact is the security services in the UK do not engage in torture or mistreatment," he said.
"They don't encourage others to do it, they don't co-operate with that and at any time when they understand that's going on they report it, that's their guidance."
However the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg claimed senior government ministers probably knew about claims of Britain's involvement in torture, but had failed to take action to stop it.
He demanded to know if ministers were told the US had changed its rules on torture after the attacks of 11 September 2001.
More Channel 4 News coverage of Binyam Mohamed's case
- A surprise meeting with the MI5 chief
- Draft Binyam ruling: MI5 human rights dubious
- Court orders release of Binyam torture papers
- Binyam Mohamed ruling a 'tactical retreat'
- Full text of the redacted paragraphs
- High court lifts ban on 'torture' documents
Yesterday Channel 4 News reported that the original version of the judgement by Lord Neuberger on the case of Binyam Mohamed said that MI5 had been involved in the suppression of information – and that also on this issue it had done this on a previous occasion.
In a leaked letter a government lawyer, Jonathan Sumption QC protested at the strength of language, saying the judgement went "well beyond" anything found by the court.
Channel 4 News also reported that Lord Neuberger had stated that MI5's human rights record was dubious and that he went on to say MI5 had been less than frank over its record on inhumane treatment.
Jonathan Sumption's letter said the draft judgement would be read as a court statement "that the Security Service does not in fact operate a culture that respects human rights or abjures participation in coercive interrogation techniques".
