Alex Thomson
It is not ‘enhanced interrogation’. It is torture
Most people don’t know what “rendition” means – but they do understand the word kidnapping. The same applies for “enhanced interrogation”. Such words convey a false reality.
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Alex Thomson
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Simon Israel
No state immunity for Jack Straw, MI5 and MI6 in rendition case
The government suffers a significant defeat in attempts to avoid a trial over allegations of complicity in the imprisonment, rendition and torture of a Libyan couple in 2004.
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Alex Thomson
Jack Straw ‘edging towards the S word’ on Iraq
Jack Straw clearly cannot stand by the statement that the British are not kidnapping and torturing people using third-party countries, merely that he insists he was not involved himself.
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Spooks do battle with MPs
It is rare to see Britain’s intelligence agencies, MI5 and MI6, in open battle with MPs from all parties, including the Deputy Prime Minister.
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Repairing the spooks' reputation
MI6 in particular has suffered some hard reputational knocks and doesn’t like it. Mr Hague is trying to shape the debate about it in the media, by giving those who write and comment on it a better idea of how it works, as Jonathan Rugman reports.
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Jon Snow
Just another piece of 'military liaison?'
Jon Snow blogs on the repercussions after 23 CIA operatives were found guilty in Italy over rendition of a terror suspect.
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Jon Snow
Does the airline plot trial signal a new approach?
Of course, the plot sounds crazy – but then so did the plot to attack the twin towers on 9/11. Nevertheless the pattern of the terrorist threat to the UK begins to crystallise. Where it exists, it is home grown and trained in Pakistan. Converts and young men who suddenly “find” their religion after particularly…
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Jon Snow
Do we know why we're in Afghanistan?
Does anyone out there understand why we are in Afghanistan under arms? Is this the least understood, least cared about conflict involving British troops dying under fire since, well, Northern Ireland? That’s not fair, people did understand Northern Ireland. They didn’t like bombs exploding in British mainland cities.