Edited by Terry Griffin, Monday, 5 Sept 2011, 08:51
Here is what I sad to the Today programme. It will be interesting to see if they take it up:
Just to say that in respect of enhanced interrogation techniques and extra-ordinary rendition then I humbly suggest that one of your researchers refer to Hansard on 26th February 2009 where John Hutton, now Lord, made a statement relating to Records of Detention (Review Conclusions).
Now I know that it refers to Iraq, and Afghanistan, however, you might find it ineteresting the following comments:
Hutton 'I regret that it is now clear that inaccuarte information on this particular issue has been given to the House by my Department. However, I want to stress that that was based upon the information available to Ministers and those who were briefing them at the time. My predecessors as Secretaries of State for Defence have confirmed to me that that they had no knowledge of these events.'
Now the BBC have been told about the Gibson Inquiry, may I suggest that you look at the letter from the PM to Gibson on the 6th July 2010: 'Allegations relating to military detentions in Iraq and Afghanistan post-2003 are being addressed by separate arrangements by the Ministry of Defence'.
Now if I were the BBC I would ask the PM if the Gibson Inquiry is to be made to include all detentions from wherever, to wherever, so that nobody will say in future that Gibson relates only to Iraq, and Afghanistan, and nobody asked about Libya. Also I think that all aspects of the Inquiry should be made by Gibson and that it be taken from the MoD, because of a conflict of interest, the MoD IHAT is a waste of time, people will just close ranks and plead no snitching.
Libya
Here is what I sad to the Today programme. It will be interesting to see if they take it up:
Just to say that in respect of enhanced interrogation techniques and extra-ordinary rendition then I humbly suggest that one of your researchers refer to Hansard on 26th February 2009 where John Hutton, now Lord, made a statement relating to Records of Detention (Review Conclusions).
Now I know that it refers to Iraq, and Afghanistan, however, you might find it ineteresting the following comments:
Hutton 'I regret that it is now clear that inaccuarte information on this particular issue has been given to the House by my Department. However, I want to stress that that was based upon the information available to Ministers and those who were briefing them at the time. My predecessors as Secretaries of State for Defence have confirmed to me that that they had no knowledge of these events.'
Now the BBC have been told about the Gibson Inquiry, may I suggest that you look at the letter from the PM to Gibson on the 6th July 2010:
'Allegations relating to military detentions in Iraq and Afghanistan post-2003 are being addressed by separate arrangements by the Ministry of Defence'.
Now if I were the BBC I would ask the PM if the Gibson Inquiry is to be made to include all detentions from wherever, to wherever, so that nobody will say in future that Gibson relates only to Iraq, and Afghanistan, and nobody asked about Libya. Also I think that all aspects of the Inquiry should be made by Gibson and that it be taken from the MoD, because of a conflict of interest, the MoD IHAT is a waste of time, people will just close ranks and plead no snitching.