The Commons Security and Intelligence committee has decided that British aid to the US in rendering two British resident businessmen, Bisher al-Rawi and Jamil el-Banna, from the Gambia to Guantanamo Bay was….nor criminal, not negligent, but ‘inadvertent’. Oops.
Shorter UK: “Not us guv, it was all those mean Americans!”
“We are satisfied that the (domestic) Security Service (MI5) did not intend for the men to be arrested or for a ‘rendition to detention’ (extra-judicial transfer for detention outside the normal legal system) operation to take place,” the committee said.
“Indeed when sharing the intelligence they used caveats specifically prohibiting any action being taken.
“The Security Service did not foresee that the US authorities would disregard the caveats, given that they had honoured the caveat system for the past 20 years.
“This case shows a lack of regard on the part of the US for UK concerns — despite strong protests — and that has serious implications for the intelligence relationship…
“In international law, it is clear that the US will take whatever action it deems necessary, within US law, to protect its national security,” it said, noting that British concerns “do not materially affect” their strategy.
Just so we’re clear, what the committee appear to be saying is tnat US intelligence is doing what the hell it likes and there’s nothing we can do to stop them because they just don’t give a fuck. The ‘within US law’ is just a figleaf put there to avoid a nasty letter from the US Ambassador..
What wry understatement they continue:
The intelligence and security committee said Britain’s overseas intelligence service MI6 and MI5 had been slow to appreciate the change in US policy and should have exercised greater caution earlier.
Personally I’d translate that as ”they knew the Yanks had gone batshit crazy but were too scared to do anything about it’.
