[JURIST] The UK government's independent reviewer of terror laws on Sunday called for a judicial inquiry into British complicity in US rendition and torture. The reviewer, Lord Carlile of Berriew [Times profile; JURIST news archive], specifically cited the case of Binyam Mohamed [JURIST news archive], the British resident who alleges that he was tortured with the knowledge of MI5 [official website] while held in US custody in Pakistan in 2002. Labour Party Deputy Leader Harriet Harman [official profile] was non-committal, saying only [BBC video; transcript] that, "We'll have to listen to what he [Berriew] says, but at the moment, we've got an investigation by the Attorney General". Asked if she would rule out a judicial inquiry, Harman responded, "We'll just have to see what lies ahead on that."

British media reported Sunday that UN special rapporteur on torture Manfred Nowak has told British ministers that MI5 may have been complicit [JURIST report] in torture committed while detainees including Mohamed were in US custody. Mohamed was returned to the UK [JURIST report] last week following seven years of detention, including five at Guantanamo Bay, where he was held on charges of conspiring to commit terrorism. Those charges were dismissed [JURIST report] in October, however Mohamed remained in custody while US authorities considered filing new charges.