MI5 colluded with CIA extraordinary renditions from Britain

On November 2, 2002, Abdullah el Janoudi (a British citizen) was arrested alongside Bisher al-Rawi and Jamil al-Banna (both British residents) at Gatwick airport in London. They had intended to travel to Gambia where they hoped to establish a business venture for a mobile peanut-oil processing factory. The three men were questioned for two days on suspicion of links with terrorist groups, as well as on suspicion of carrying an explosive device, which turned out to be a normal battery charger. They were all released without charge.

On November 8, the three men left the UK for Banjul, the Gambian capital, and were arrested on arrival, together with Bisher’s brother, Wahab al-Rawi, who had come to meet them at the airport. After an initial period of questioning by the Gambian National Intelligence Agency (NIA), they were then questioned by US investigators. During this time, the men were held in several undisclosed locations in Banjul. At least one of the men was allegedly threatened by US investigators who told him that unless he cooperated he would be handed over to the Gambian police who would beat and rape him. One of the men sustained injuries from what US investigators later described as a “scuffle with Gambian guards.”

Gambia has close ties with Washington. In October 2002 it signed an impunity agreement with the US agreeing not to surrender US nationals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes to the International Criminal Court.

On the day of his departure flight from the UK, Wahab also was detained at London’s City airport in east London by two men who described themselves as airport security officers. They said they were investigating an alleged terror suspect called Abu Qatada whom Wahab had met four days before his flight. Qatada is now imprisoned in Britain as a terror suspect and the British government are seeking to deport him to Jordan.

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http://wsws.org/articles/2006/apr2006/guan-a11.shtml