Spies and Lies: An Athenian Mystery

BBC News

February 5, 2006

An all-party parliamentary watchdog is investigating allegations that British intelligence agents were involved in the abduction and torture of 28 Pakistani immigrants in Greece following the 7 July bombings.

In a BBC Radio 4 documentary, 10 of the Pakistanis tell BBC correspondent Malcolm Brabant how they were threatened, just before being told they were innocent, and then dumped, hooded, back on the streets of Athens. A careless remark during a conversation about going to the lavatory has given the strongest indication yet that British intelligence agents might have been involved in the seizure of 28 Pakistanis in Greece.

The Pakistanis have alleged that they were kidnapped and psychologically tortured in a joint Greek-British operation which took place a week after the London bombings of 7 July last year. The British Foreign Office has denied British involvement.

One of the 28, whom the BBC is calling 'Mr R' after he asked to remain anonymous, told me about an encounter with an English-speaking agent on day two of his interrogation.

More:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/file_on_4/4671462.stm