MI5 chief hits back in 'torture cover-up' row

The head of MI5 strongly defended the work of the Security Service last night in the face of damaging accusations that it had sought to cover up its involvement in the torture of detainees.

Director-general Jonathan Evans said claims by one of the country’s most senior judges that there was a “culture of suppression” within the service were “the precise opposite of the truth”.

It also emerged that Mr Evans had contacted the parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee to deny claims that MI5 withheld documents relating to the treatment of former Guantanamo Bay detainee Binyam Mohamed.

Mr Evans’s rare public statement came after documents released at the Court of Appeal on Wednesday showed that the Master of the Rolls, Lord Neuberger, had severely criticised MI5 in a draft ruling relating to Mr Mohamed’s case.

He said the service had a “culture of suppression” and accused it of failing to respect human rights and of deliberately misleading the Intelligence and Security Committee and Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

However, Mr Evans said MI5 was simply seeking to protect the country from “enemies” who would use “all the tools and their disposal” – including propaganda – to attack. “We will do all that we can to keep the country safe from terrorist attack. We will use all the powers available to us under the law,” he said.

“For their part, our enemies will also seek to use all tools at their disposal to attack us. That means not just bombs, bullets and aircraft but also propaganda.

“Their freedom to voice extremist views is part of the price we pay for living in a democracy, and it is a price worth paying.”

Intelligence and Security Committee chairman Kim Howells disclosed that Mr Evans had contacted him last night to assure him that MI5 had not withheld from the committee documents relating to Mr Mohamed’s treatment by the United States authorities.

Channel 4 News had reported that MI5 received CIA documents about his case in 2002 but failed to produce them to the committee’s investigation into the extraordinary rendition of terrorist suspects in 2006.

In a joint statement with the senior Conservative on the committee, Michael Mates, Dr Howells said: “The director-general has confirmed to us this evening that no document concerning Binyam Mohamed and his treatment by the US authorities has been withheld from us.

“He has also reiterated that his staff understand and are complying with all their obligations in this regard under which they perform their difficult and sometimes dangerous duties.”

They acknowledged, however, that the accusations were potentially highly damaging and warned that they would investigate if further detailed allegations emerged.

On Wednesday, the Court of Appeal ordered the release of documents, which Mr Miliband had sought to withhold, describing how MI5 was aware of Mr Mohamed’s “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment” at the hands of the US authorities.

Mr Evans insisted UK agencies did not collude in torture.