MP claims intelligence 'torture' cover-up

The Government has been accused of “fighting tooth and nail” to cover up the truth about the alleged torture of Rochdale terrorist Rangzeib Ahmed.

Former shadow home secretary David Davis claimed the British intelligence services are using state secrecy to scour evidence of behind-the-door wrongdoings, in order to save “political embarrassment.”

Speaking in Parliament yesterday, the MP said: “Our handling the subject of torture has, in my view, been completely wrong.”

“The Government is fighting tooth and nail to use state secrecy to cover up both crimes and political embarrassment, to protect those who are the real villains in this case, those who approved the policies in the first place.

He added: “The battle against terrorism is not just a fight for life; it is a battle for ideas and ideals, a battle between good and evil, and a battle between civilisation and barbarism.

“In that fight you should never allow your standards to drop to those of your enemies.”

Rochdale-born Rangzieb Ahmed, a convicted member of Al-Qaeda, was jailed for life in December last year for directing terrorism.

Chief Superintendent Tony Porter, head of the North West Counter-Terrorism Unit, said he is “confident” in the behavior of his officers.

He added: "The North West Counter Terrorism Unit does not participate in, solicit, encourage or condone the use of torture or inhumane or degrading treatment.

“For reasons both ethical and legal, their policy is not to carry out any action which they know would result in torture or inhuman or degrading treatment.

"The case of Rangzieb Ahmed has been heard in court. The judges considered the allegations of UK complicity in mistreatment and made clear that there was no evidence for this.

“These judgements are a matter of public record.

"The principle we follow are that we always seeks to act within the boundaries of the law and do not intentionally take any actions which could undermine any legal process.”

Background

Rangzieb Ahmed, 33, and Habib, 29, were caught with two diaries containing details of top Al-Qaeda operatives, described in court as a terrorist's contact book.

Fellow terrorists considered him as a ‘trusted and experiences operative’ and last year police thwarted his villainous attempts to set up a terror cell in Manchester.

During a trial, Manchester Crown Court heard how counter-terrorism officers, who were monitoring the two men, had bugged the hotel room in Dubai where they made several coded references to al-Qaeda.

They also placed a probe in the taxi of Habib, who they continued to monitor when he returned to the UK.

Rangzieb returned to Pakistan in January 2006 to continue his ambitions as an international terrorist.