Ex-spy reveals that UK knew of Guantanamo torture

A former senior British intelligence officer has said that he wants to give evidence on security services knowing about the torture of inmates at the United States prison camp in Guantanamo Bay.

The former officer is seeking permission to present evidence to a forthcoming parliamentary inquiry that British officials saw detainees being tortured in December 2002.

Details of torture were disclosed during meetings held at the London headquarters of Britain's MI5 in 2002 and the evidence is believed to include claims that British officials witnessed inmates being chained, hooded, waterboarded and subjected to mental abuse by CIA officials,reports the Dawn.

No one was immediately available to comment at Britain's interior ministry which handles media queries relating to MI5.

The prison in Guantanamo in Cuba, was opened in 2002 to house foreign terrorism suspects but has drawn international criticism from human rights activists and many foreign governments.

US President Barack Obama is seeking to close it.