Tony Blair (Photo : Reuters)
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will be sitting in the hot seat today as MP's interrogate him over accusations of his role in various CIA authorized torture. The former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will be questioned about his involvement as well.
Various members of the Parliament are insisting that Straw and Blair should be properly interrogated by the Intelligence and Security Committee of the House of Commons. Committee chairman Sir Malcolm Rifkind promised the public that he will make sure that Blair and Straw will help them provide evidence for the alleged torture.
The torture cases have been the center of public scrutiny lately after a British father of four was released after 13 years of incarceration without trial in Guantanamo Bay. Scotland Yard is also performing their own line of inquiry about claims that various British officials helped orchestrate the delivery of several suspects, including a pregnant woman to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's Libyan forces in 2004. The delivered suspects were allegedly tortured by the Libyan military.
The investigation has questioned British foreign policy regarding the treatment of terror suspects. Jack Straw, who was then the Foreign Secretary during, have already answered to several inquiries about it and even stood as a witness during the Met Police investigation in November 2002.
Defense Secretary Michael Fallon ordered Blair and Straw to cooperate with the Intelligence and Security Committee saying "It's for Ministers in that Government to account for their actions."
Sir Malcom, who currently chairs the ISC, demanded the US Senate's report regarding British participation in CIA torture. The report which was published last week was reportedly altered and Sir Malcolm is demanding the all the redacted parts be included. Theresa May, the current Home Secretary, will also face inquiries from members of the Parliament about her suspected participation in the redaction of the United States report.
