CIA misled Britain over rendition plan

The CIA misled British intelligence chiefs over the arrest and treatment of terrorist suspects who were the subjects of rendition to Guantanamo Bay, an Intelligence and Security Committee report to the Prime Minister warned.

It saidthe deception threatens to undermine confidence in the exchange of intelligence between the CIA and MI6.

Coming only days before the Prime Minister flies to Washington for a summit with President George Bush, the report could prove embarrassing for Gordon Brown. However, he brushed aside the committee's criticism of the US over rendition. "Where people are at risk of being tortured we have made very clear about our rejection of such a policy... But I am not going to condemn the US authorities," he said.

The MPs found no evidence of complicity by the UK in secret CIA rendition flights, but it said ministers should never agree to suspects being handed over to the US authorities where there is no prospect of a proper trial.

The dispute between the two intelligence services arose over US assurances that rendition of suspects would only take place for trials to be carried out and would be limited to suspects involved in terrorist activities in Afghanistan. However, after the 9/ll attacks in New York, British intelligence chiefs became aware that the US authorities were seizing suspects with no connection with Afghanistan.