Britain 'ordered Torture of 9/11 Suspect'

A Moroccan wanted in Spain over his alleged links to the 9/11 attackers today told his extradition hearing he had been tortured on the "direct orders" of British intelligence.

Farid Hilali said the alleged torture took place while he was being held by the intelligence services of the United Arab Emirates and Morocco.

The hearing, at the high court in London, was adjourned to give the government the opportunity to deal with the accusation.

Mr Hilali, 36, is identified by the Spanish investigative judge Baltasar Garzon as a co-conspirator in the 9/11 attacks.

Spanish prosecutors claimed he telephoned Imad Eddin Barakat Yarkas, the alleged head of the Madrid al-Qaida cell, in August 2001 and talked of entering "the field of aviation" and "cutting the bird's throat" - an apparent reference to the American bald eagle.

In a new witness statement put before the court today, he said he believed the only reason Spain wanted him "is so I can be deported back to Morocco, where I will immediately be arrested and tortured".

He then claimed Britain had ordered him to be tortured. "I also wish to state on record that the torture I have suffered at the hands of the intelligence service in United Arab Emirates and Morocco has been on the direct orders of the British Intelligence Service in the UK," the statement said.

"The British intelligence service have been directly responsible for the torture I have suffered, and are now directly complicit in ensuring I am removed from the UK by whatever means necessary and sent back to Morocco."

The hearing was halted after John Hardy, representing the Spanish central court in Madrid, which is seeking Mr Hilali's return, said there was "grave concern" over the allegations he was now making. Mr Hilali is contesting extradition to Spain on the basis there has been an abuse of process of the courts.

He is at present a category AA detainee currently at Whitemoor prison, in Cambridgeshire.