British man was victim of secret CIA rendition

A former inmate of Guantánamo Bay prison has been identified as the first British citizen known to have been subjected to the CIA's practice of rendition–the capture and transfer of terrorism suspects across the world without legal process. Newly revealed flight logs of a CIA Gulfstream executive jet–detailed in a book to be published this week–indicate that it was used in April 2002 to transport Martin Mubanga, a British resident now aged 33, to Guantánamo after he was captured in Zambia. According to his lawyer, Mubanga was illegally handed to the United States without an extradition hearing and after questioning by US and British agents. The same Gulfstream V jet has visited British airports more than 20 times since Sept. 11, 2001, and has frequently been involved in CIA renditions. Its suspected use in transporting a British citizen may increase pressure in parliament for an official inquiry into Britain's involvement. On Dec. 8, 2002 the same plane was used to render two British residents arrested in Gambia, west Africa, to a CIA prison in Afghanistan, from where they were also taken to Guantánamo. Documents show that the transfer of the pair, Bisher al-Rawi and Jamil el-Banna, took place shortly after the British Foreign Office declined consular responsibility for them as they are not British passport holders, although they have residency status in the country. They were accused of being associates of Abu Qatada, the radical cleric who is detained in Britain. Another British resident, Binyam Mohamed, was rendered in 2004. One of the most frequently made allegations against the British government is that it has permitted the US to use British sovereign territory on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia to hold suspects in secret. British government leaders have dismissed such reports as "without foundation." But new flight records raise doubts. The Gulfstream jet flew to the island base from Washington on Sept. 11, 2002 just after Ramzi Binalshibh, one of the architects of 9/11, was arrested. Further details of Britain's alleged involvement in CIA renditions are to be published in Ghost Plane: The Inside Story of the CIA's Secret Rendition Program, which quotes British security sources as acknowledging involvement "on the periphery" of several such operations, even though British officials insisted they argued strongly against such practices. The book is written by Stephen Grey, the journalist who first detailed the workings of the US system of rendition flights in the British Sunday Times in 2004. According to Ghost Plane, the CIA has carried out hundreds of renditions of terrorism suspects to countries which have used torture, including Egypt, Syria, Morocco and even Uzbekistan, which has reportedly boiled prisoners alive. Edward Walker, a former US ambassador to Egypt, said official statements about torture were "not telling the truth." This contradicts assurances President Bush has given European governments. Mubanga, who has joint Zambian and British nationality, was arrested in Zambia in March 2002 on suspicion of fighting in Afghanistan. He said he was never charged but was questioned by British and US intelligence officials. He said he had been to Pakistan to study Islam and later returned to visit relatives. After about three weeks of questioning he was told he was going to Guantánamo. Flight records indicate the Gulfstream jet involved, with the registration N379P, left Washington early on Apr. 18 for Frankfurt, Germany. After refueling it flew to Entebbe, Uganda. Records of its movements after this are incomplete but Entebbe is en route for, and two hours' flying time from, Lusaka in Zambia. The Gulfstream next appeared in Washington on Apr. 20 when Mubanga had reached Cuba. Louise Christian, Mubanga's lawyer, said the evidence should spur demands for an investigation into his case: "There is strong evidence to suggest that the British government and security services were complicit."