Shamed by US torture

IN the wake of the 9/11 attacks the security services were under great pressure to hunt down al-Qaeda terrorists and to keep this country safe.

Gathering intelligence was crucial to prevent further attacks. In such situations the question arises on whether torture can ever be justified.

A report by the Intelligence and Security Committee reveals UK officials turned a blind eye to the CIA’s use of rendition.

Some were present when detainees were tortured and on many occasions officers used intelligence they knew had been received from people who had been cruelly mistreated.

This might have saved lives but by colluding with the Americans in this barbaric practice we surrendered the moral high ground.

Britain has a history of standing up for human rights. We led the way in abolishing the slave trade, were one of the first countries to outlaw torture and helped create the European Convention on Human Rights.

That reputation has been stained by our complicity in sleep deprivation and waterboarding. To hold other countries to high standards, we need to uphold them ourselves.