It is quite right that Fatima Boudchar and Abdul Hakim Belhaj have been offered a sincere apology by the Government and reparation for the torture they suffered at the hands of the Gadhafi regime.
It was a severe hindrance in Tripoli when London informed me that I could no longer meet with Bel Haj due to the rendition claim. As I have written on page 263 of Belfast to Benghazi, it was a bad judgement call because he was a rising star in Tripoli and had proven to be a highly capable leader heading the Tripoli Brigade. As an moderate, who advocated disarmament and education for the young revolutionaries, he was someone the British Government should have brought to the negotiating table. What chance now that he is Libya’s future leader?
The other question that has to be asked is what will be done about the other rendition cases that the UK facilitated following 9/11? See page 168 of Belfast to Benghazi.
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Rupert Wieloch 