British lawyers Leigh Day and Co. have written a letter to British Foreign Secretary William Hague, demanding answers over London’s alleged links to the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) covert drone war.
In particular, they want to know whether British intelligence was used in the March attack in northwest Pakistan that, they claim, killed the father of their client, Khan.
The lawyers cite media reports, which detail how British intelligence agencies provided information on the location of militants targeted by the drones.
“We ask the foreign secretary whether any information is being passed by agents of the UK government to US government forces to assist in these attacks,” said Richard Stein, the head of Leigh Day and Co.’s human rights team.
“Unless it is categorically denied that the UK continues to pass such information to the US government forces, we require a clear policy statement of the arrangements which are in place and circumstances in which the UK considers it to be lawful to do so,” he added in a statement.
Clive Stafford Smith, head of British legal charity Reprieve, added: “CIA drone strikes are killing huge numbers of civilians and destabilising Pakistan.
“The British people have a right to know what their country’s policy is regarding our involvement in this illegal and disastrous campaign.”
A British Foreign Office spokesman said: “We will study this letter closely and respond to the issues raised.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 18th, 2011.
COMMENTS (7)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@numbersnumbers: Wow! It must be God's own truth if USA Government and its controlled media says so like Iraq having Weapons of Mass Destruction.
One living in a make believe world of lies can never distinguish fact from fiction. Wake up USA! Listen to Alex Jones and Webster Tarplev and so many other creditable USA independent reporters/journalists.
@Dr KH Mian: Never hesitate to make Pakistan an international joke. Or the possession of a doctorate a joke.
@Dr KH Mian: So you say that "Iran has already pointed out that the criminal act of 9/11 was drummed up by USA itself and carried out by home brewed terrorists"!
Wow, it must be true because Iran says so, just like Iran says the "Holocaust" in WW2 that killed more than six million jews NEVER HAPPENED!
So please tell us how the 19 Muslim terrorists (15 Saudi) that committed 9/11 are "home brewed terrorists"!
@Khalis Why they dont alow investication of 9/11 and khalistan movment was also terrorist movement and what israel doing in palestine and india doing in kashmir is not it terroriam??? and what is diffrence bet Nazis and israeli Racism??
@Dr KH Mian: dont go by your emotions sir, 9/11 happened just like ghq attack just like mumbai attack and like these drones. over-response to an event generally causes curiosity among the spectators that is this action valid or the event is really what it is shown or seen.
i respect your sensitivity toward jews persecution in nazi germany by christians but there are people being killed by terrorists in many countries specially south asian countries by the maniacs hovering in afghanistan and frontiers of pakistan
No unprovoked war can ever be justified. USA unprovoked attack and occupation of Afghanistan is a horrendous criminal and cowardly act, worse than Hitler's attack upon Poland, carried out by Fascist Christian coalition upon an utterly weak and defenseless country. Act of using drones is clearly an act of war and terrorism upon innocent and unaware citizens. It is proof enough that it is the Fascists Christian and not the Peaceful Muslim world that breeds terrorism, harbours terrorists, provides safe haven to terrorists and carries out international acts of hatred via terrorism and hired killers against the Muslim world. This should be brought to light in UN. Russia is already pointing finger at USA for having killed Gadhafi through pure inhumane act of terrorism. Iran has already pointed out that the criminal act of 9/11 was drummed up by USA itself and carried out by home brewed terrorists. USA, as well as an other suspect country forming the so called USA/NATO/ISAF, needs and must be charged with theses criminal acts against humanity at all levels of justice and denounced internationally.