January 17, 2017•Update: January 17, 2017
By Busra Akin Dincer
LONDON
The U.K. Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that legal action can be taken by a Libyan rebel leader against Britain’s former foreign secretary, a senior intelligence officer and other security officials.
Libyan nationals Abdul-Hakim Belhaj and his wife Fatima Boudchar -- opponents of former leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi -- claimed British intelligence agency MI6 informed the Libyan authorities of their whereabouts in 2004.
Straw, as U.K. foreign secretary between 2001 and 2006, would have had responsibility for MI6, the agency which supplies Britain's government with foreign intelligence.
The pair said they were taken from Thailand to Libya unlawfully, then detained and tortured. They allege the “United Kingdom arranged, assisted and encouraged their rendition” to Libya.
The pair also accuse the state of collusion in the “torture, inhuman and degrading treatment inflicted on them by the United States and Libyan authorities”.
Straw and MI6 official Sir Mark Allen have denied the allegations. Appeals were launched to block potential legal action.
However, the U.K.’s highest court unanimously dismissed the appeal and said British courts should hear the claims, opening the way for the many others to take action against government and security officials.
Tuesday’s decision was delivered by Supreme Court judge Jonathan Mance who said state immunity was “no bar to the claims”.
