Britain names judge to lead inquiry into claims UK spies colluded in terror suspects' torture

LONDON (AP) — Britain will hold a judge-led inquiry into allegations that its spies were complicit in the torture of terror suspects held by the U.S. and other allies.

The government also announced Tuesday it will pay compensation to detainees found to have been mistreated in the global pursuit of terrorists after the Sept. 11 attacks.

The probe, by a three-member panel headed by retired judge Peter Gibson, could complicate intelligence-sharing with Washington.

It follows civil cases brought against the government by 12 ex-detainees who claim British intelligence agents colluded in their mistreatment in Pakistan, Morocco and elsewhere.

Prime Minister David Cameron told lawmakers in the House of Commons that "for the past few years the reputation of our security services has been overshadowed by allegations about their involvement in the treatment of detainees held by other countries."

"It is time to clear up this matter once and for all," he said.

Cameron said the government would ask the 12 to drop their lawsuits in exchange for mediation, possible compensation and a promise the inquiry will fully investigate their claims.

He said the inquiry also cannot start until the conclusion of a criminal investigation under way into allegations against two officers from the MI5 and MI6 intelligence agencies.

"We hope it will start before the end of this year and will report within a year," Cameron said.

The panel is expected to call current and former ministers and intelligence agency chiefs to give evidence, but it is unclear how much of it will be in public. Cameron said intelligence officers would not be required to give evidence publicly.

Gibson is the Intelligence Services Commissioner, a watchdog for Britain's spies. Like Britain's ongoing inquiry into the Iraq war, his investigation won't establish criminal wrongdoing, but may apportion blame.

British spies have not been accused of torturing detainees, but several former suspects have alleged that British officials were complicit in their mistreatment while they were held by agents from the U.S., Pakistan and other countries, because they knew of abuse but did not stop it.

In the most notorious case, Binyam Mohamed, a former Guantanamo Bay detainee who is among those suing Britain, says he was severely beaten, subjected to sleep deprivation and had his genitals sliced with a scalpel. A British court has ruled that Mohamed was subjected to "cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment" by U.S. authorities.

The U.N. Convention Against Torture, which Britain has ratified, defines torture was "any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted" as punishment or to obtain information.

Cameron called Britain's intelligence services the best in the world, but said "the longer these questions remain unanswered, the bigger the stain on our reputation as country that believes in freedom, fairness and human rights grows."

Human rights campaigners, who have long pressed for an inquiry, cautiously welcomed the announcement.

"This inquiry can only be credible with the broadest remit, the most public proceedings possible and by full engagement with victims, witnesses and lawyers," said Shami Chakrabarti, director of the group Liberty.

Tom Porteous, U.K. director of Human Rights Watch, said the investigation "must be demonstrably independent, comprehensive and to the greatest extent possible public."

Despite Cameron's assurances that international intelligence sharing would not be undermined by the inquiry, the probe is likely to arouse worries in Washington that secret intelligence material may be disclosed.

Earlier this year, senior judge David Neuberger ordered the release of a previously secret summary of CIA documents on the treatment of Binyam Mohamed. Under long-standing conventions, nations don't disclose intelligence shared by their allies, and the White House reacted angrily to the release.

Cameron's government is seeking to change the law to protect intelligence provided by foreign governments. Cameron said new proposals on the way secret intelligence is treated in courts would be published next year.

He said disclosure of intelligence "has strained some of our oldest and most important security partnerships in the world, in particular that with America. ... So we need to deal with these problems."

The government also published for the first time details of the rules governing the behavior of British spies. Cameron said they make it clear that "our services must never take any action where they know or believe that torture will occur."

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Associated Press Writer David Stringer contributed to this report.