MI5 scouts 'tried to recruit in US prison camps'

LONDON - MI5 secretly tried to hire British men held in Guantanamo Bay and other United States prison camps by promising to protect them from their American captors and help secure their return home to the United Kingdom.

One of the men, Richard Belmar, was told he would be paid "well" for his services if he was willing to work undercover for MI5. A second detainee, Bisher Al Rawi, was told that if he agreed to work for the security service he would be "freed within months".

Three other detainees were threatened with rendition and harsh detention regimes if they did not co-operate with their British and American interrogators.

But MI5 failed to honour the promises made by its agents, a former agent has told the Independent.

The source, who is close to the MI5 officers who conducted the interviews, has confirmed that "assurances" had been given to the British men while they were held in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay.

But he said senior officers in London had cleared the actions of its own officers but later reneged on the promises. This is backed up by sworn testimony lodged in the High Court from the former detainees.

"[The agents] fear they will be hung out to dry. This is not the first time that field agents have been made to carry the can even when there is a paper trail all the way to the top authorising the action and conduct of the agents," said the source.

According to papers before the High Court, two MI5 officers, known as "Andrew and Officer B", tried to recruit Belmar while he was held by the Americans in Pakistan in 2002.

He was told that he would have to attend training courses at MI5 headquarters in London. And in April 2002 "Andrew and Officer B" informed Belmar that he would be returning to England in seven days. But on the day of his "release" Belmar was handed over to US military officers and later transferred to Guantanamo Bay.

Bisher Al Rawi claims that MI5 officers calling themselves Martin and Matt visited him at the US naval base in Cuba to offer him a job working for the security services after his release.

Five men, and two other former Guantanamo detainees, are seeking compensation from the Foreign Office, the Home Office, MI5 and MI6 and the Attorney-General.

- INDEPENDNET