Northern Isles MP Alistair Carmichael has called on the UK Government to push for the closure of “cruel and barbaric” Guantanamo Bay.
Raising the issue in the Commons yesterday, the former Scottish secretary said the camp made “us all less safe” and played into the “propaganda of our enemies”.
His intervention came amid growing pressure on Theresa May over claims a former detainee, Jamal al-Harith – who reportedly became radicalised and was subsequently killed in an Islamic State suicide attack – received £1million in compensation.
The coalition announced in 2010 it had settled claims with British nationals who had been held at the detention camp, although the Conservatives have never confirmed how much al-Harith received.
Replying to an urgent question from Labour’s Yvette Cooper, Home Office minister Ben Wallace said details of settlements “were subject to legally binding confidentiality agreements”.
Intervening in the debate, Mr Carmichael asked whether the government still supported Barack Obama’s aspiration to see Guantanamo closed.
The Liberal Democrats home affairs spokesman added afterwards: “Jamal Al-Harith was detained in Guantanamo Bay for two years.
“He was subjected to torture, advanced interrogation and religious abuses. His rights were denied, and at no point was he ever charged.
“The UK Government must push our American allies to close this cruel and barbaric prison, and to ensure that we uphold our
values of freedom, justice, and fair treatment.”
Mr Wallace said he knew from his experience as a young officer in Northern Ireland that torture doesn’t work.
He insisted the use of torture would not be tolerated, pointing to a new power in the criminal finance bill to freeze assets of people guilty of human rights abuses anywhere in the world.