London and Berlin side-step calls for clarity

The British and German governments yesterday refused to challenge the US over its "rendition" policy for suspected terrorists, side-stepping growing domestic pressure to reveal whether they were involved in the cross-border transfer of suspects.

Tony Blair, UK prime minister, defended the US treatment of terror suspects, insisting the policy of renditions was justified in terms of preventing further terrorist attacks.

In Germany the government said it would not press Washington to pay compensation to a German citizen that CIA agents abducted and allegedly mishandled two years ago.

Mr Blair, while insisting that torture could not be justified "in any set of circumstances at all", defended the transfer of suspects from one country to another and said he accepted US assurances that it did not use or condone torture.

"Some of these people are highly dangerous. Some of them can provide information that is of absolutely fundamental importance in preventing terrorism," he told parliament.

Again: "we don't torture, but they are bad people and they have information that we absolutely need. We send them to places that torture, but we believe those that tell us that no torture actually takes place"

And that's Blair.

"This story is going to run and run, however much Mr Blair and Washington might like to control it," one opposition MP said last night.

Evidence emerged in March in a parliamentary report that British intelligence and security officials witnessed US counterparts using, in third countries, interrogation methods banned in the UK. The practice of rendition, however, was not mentioned.

British human rights lawyers now say they are prepared to take legal action against the UK government and senior police chiefs over allegations that UK airports were used by the US to transport suspects to third countries for interrogation.

(...)

In Germany, a spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel said the government had no plans to reopen with Washington the issue of the abduction of Khalid el-Masri.

Berlin's stance appeared aimed at minimising further harm to relations with Washington following a dispute between the two over Mr Masri's case. Ms Merkel this week said that Condoleezza Rice, US secretary of state, had admitted that Mr Masri's abduction had been a "mistake". US officials denied that Ms Rice had said this, but Ms Merkel's spokesman insisted the chancellor "stood by her statement".

Separately, Otto Schily, former German interior minister, admitted the US had informed him in May 2004 that Mr Masri had been abducted.