11/16/2010

“The UK government has paid compensation to 16 men who were detained by US forces at Guantanamo Bay. Justice Secretary Ken Clarke said the settlement was confidential–but necessary to avoid a legal battle which could have cost up to £50m. The men, 12 of whom had launched damages claims, allege that London knew or was complicit in their treatment in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. The heads of both MI5 [UK’s counter-intelligence and security agency] and MI6 [UK’s Secret Intelligence Service], who were being sued, welcomed the settlement. The coalition government made clear in the summer that it wanted to avoid a massive court case which would also have put the British secret intelligence services under the spotlight.”

 – “Compensation to Guantanamo Detainees ‘was necessary,'” BBC News, Nov. 16, 2010