Blair has 'no recollection' of dissident's rendition
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Tony Blair insisted yesterday he had "no recollection" of Britain's alleged involvement in sending a dissident to be tortured in Libya and defended his government's "important" co-operation on terrorism with Muammar Gaddafi's regime.
The former prime minister, who met Colonel Gaddafi in Libya to seal a rapprochement days after Abdel Hakim Belhaj was secretly arrested and transferred to Tripoli at the apparent instigation of British intelligence agents in March 2004, said he believed the incident should be investigated but added he had no knowledge of the details of the case.
Asked on BBC Radio 4's World at One programme about the Belhaj case, Mr Blair, who as Prime Minister would have had the authority to approve the rendition, said: "I don't have any recollection of it at all."
He strongly defended the close ties he established with the Gaddafi regime. British intelligence is thought to have worked closely with Libya on identifying UK-based Islamists suspected of recruiting Britons to join the insurgency in Iraq.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments