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British spy chiefs tolerated “inexcusable” mistreatment of detainees, a damning report by Parliament’s intelligence watchdog found today.

It revealed unprecedented details of how MI6, MI5 and military intelligence officers participated in 2,000 to 3,000 interviews of prisoners held by US forces in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay. These took place from 2002, following the 9/11 attacks on the US the previous year.

The 152-page report by the Intelligence and Security Committee concluded there were:

13 cases where UK personnel witnessed at first hand a detainee being mistreated by others.

25 incidents where British personnel were told by detainees that they had been abused, and 128 where UK intelligence and security officers were told by foreign counterparts about instances of mistreatment. In some cases these were “correctly” investigated, but this was not consistent.

There was no evidence UK personnel directly carried out physical mistreatment of detainees.

British officers made verbal threats in nine cases, and in two they were party to mistreatment administered by others; one of these has been investigated by the Metropolitan police. The other remains to be “fully investigated” and the committee suggested the probe should be reopened.

In 28 cases, agencies suggested, planned or agreed to rendition operations proposed by others. In a further 22, SIS or MI5 provided intelligence to enable a rendition to take place. In 23 cases they failed to take action to prevent a rendition, including of a British national or resident. No evidence was found that any US rendition flight transited the UK with a detainee on board, but two did go through Diego Garcia.

FBI releases unpublished Pentagon 9/11 aftermath of terrorist attack 23 show all FBI releases unpublished Pentagon 9/11 aftermath of terrorist attack 1/23 Smoke billowing from a hole after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. EPA 2/23 Flames and smoke billowing from a hole in the exterior wall after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. On 31 March 2017, the FBI released over 20 previously unpublished images showing the devastation and aftermath of the terrorist attack on the Pentagon. EPA 3/23 an aerial view of the exterior damage after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. EPA 4/23 Damage done to an inner wall and debris after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. EPA 5/23 Rescue crews using a crane to sift through debris after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. EPA 6/23 Exterior damage after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. EPA 7/23 Exterior damage after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. EPA 8/23 exterior damage after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. EPA 9/23 Interior and exterior damage after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. EPA 10/23 mangled debris from a plane after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. FBI/EPA 11/23 FBI investigators at work after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. FBI/EPA 12/23 Mangled debris from a plane after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA 13/23 Interior view of damage after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA 14/23 Members of the FBI investigating after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA 15/23 Members of the emergency services searching with a sniffer dog after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA 16/23 Exterior view of damage done after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA 17/23 Exterior view of damage done after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA 18/23 Exterior view of damage done after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA 19/23 members of the FBI investigating after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. FBI/EPA 20/23 FBI searching the interior after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 200 FBI/EPA 21/23 FBI investigations after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA 22/23 members of the emergency services holding a US flag after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. FBI/EPA 23/23 An interior view of damage after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA 1/23 Smoke billowing from a hole after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. EPA 2/23 Flames and smoke billowing from a hole in the exterior wall after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. On 31 March 2017, the FBI released over 20 previously unpublished images showing the devastation and aftermath of the terrorist attack on the Pentagon. EPA 3/23 an aerial view of the exterior damage after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. EPA 4/23 Damage done to an inner wall and debris after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. EPA 5/23 Rescue crews using a crane to sift through debris after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. EPA 6/23 Exterior damage after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. EPA 7/23 Exterior damage after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. EPA 8/23 exterior damage after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. EPA 9/23 Interior and exterior damage after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. EPA 10/23 mangled debris from a plane after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. FBI/EPA 11/23 FBI investigators at work after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. FBI/EPA 12/23 Mangled debris from a plane after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA 13/23 Interior view of damage after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA 14/23 Members of the FBI investigating after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA 15/23 Members of the emergency services searching with a sniffer dog after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA 16/23 Exterior view of damage done after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA 17/23 Exterior view of damage done after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA 18/23 Exterior view of damage done after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA 19/23 members of the FBI investigating after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. FBI/EPA 20/23 FBI searching the interior after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 200 FBI/EPA 21/23 FBI investigations after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA 22/23 members of the emergency services holding a US flag after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001. FBI/EPA 23/23 An interior view of damage after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, 11 September 2001 FBI/EPA

In three cases SIS or MI5 made, or offered to make, a financial contribution to others to conduct a rendition. “Given the countries concerned, these can be described as ‘extraordinary renditions’ due to the real risk of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment,” the report added.

The ISC, chaired by former attorney general Dominic Grieve, said: “In our view the UK tolerated actions, and took others, that we regard as inexcusable.

“That being said, we have found no ‘smoking gun’ to indicate that the Agencies deliberately overlooked reports of mistreatment and rendition by the US as a matter of institutional policy.

“The evidence instead suggests a difficult balancing act: the Agencies were the junior partner with limited influence, and concerned not to upset their US counterparts in case they lost access to intelligence from detainees that might be vital in preventing an attack on the UK.” However, the report said it was “beyond doubt” that British intelligence agencies knew at an early stage that the US was mistreating detainees.

The report also found that in 232 cases UK personnel continued to supply questions or intelligence to liaison services after they knew or suspected mistreatment. And in 198 they received intelligence from liaison services that had been obtained from detainees they knew had been mistreated.

A Westminster security official said: “The ISC’s reports are frank and clear. We were simply not prepared for the work we became involved in following 9/11. There were deficiencies in capability and understanding; and therefore in the guidance and training that we gave to staff. Today we do things differently.

“We have learned the lessons of those difficult post-9/11 years and structures have matured, both in SIS and across government.” The ISC, which reviewed 40,000 documents and took evidence from ex-detainees and three ex-members of staff, found that in 2002 there were at least 38 cases of officers witnessing or hearing about mistreatment.

“The Agencies argue that these were ‘isolated incidents’: they may have been isolated incidents to the individual officer witnessing them, but they cannot be considered ‘isolated’ to those in Head Office,” the report added. “It is difficult to comprehend how those at the top of the office did not recognise the pattern of mistreatment by the US.”

The committee accepted agencies faced huge pressure to prevent al Qaeda attacks. But “more could have been done at an Agency and Ministerial level to seek to influence US behaviour”.

In a speech in December 2016, MI6 chief Alex Younger stressed that the intelligence services had “learned tough lessons” on how they operate since the terror attacks on the US in September 2001.