Robert Jenrick says the ‘public deserves answers’ after government agrees to pay ‘substantial’ compensation to Guantanamo Bay detainee

Robert Jenrick has demanded ‘the public deserves answers’ after a Guantanamo Bay prisoner who claimed he was complicit in Britain’s torture by the CIA received a ‘significant’ payout.

The Shadow Justice Secretary has written to David Lammy demanding answers, claiming the country’s intelligence services were ‘complicit’ in torture after Abu Zubaydah reached a financial settlement following a legal claim against the UK.

In a letter to Justice Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mr Lammy, Mr Jenrick claimed it was ‘difficult to see this as anything other than a payment’.

The 54-year-old Saudi-born detainee, who has been held in the infamous Cyba prison detention camp since 2006 despite never being charged or convicted of any offence, is still fighting for his freedom and would be ‘grateful’ for a safe state to offer him a home.

He was first captured by US forces in Pakistan in 2002 after being alleged to be a senior Al Qaeda member following the September 11 attacks. The US government later retracted the claim.

Zubaydah, then 31, was the first person to be subjected to the CIA’s ‘enhanced interrogation’ techniques, which included sleep deprivation, slapping and waterboarding.

He claimed that MI5 and MI6 knew he was being mistreated but still passed questions to the CIA for the authorities to use during interrogation.

Zubaydah’s international law advisor, Professor Helen Duffy, announced that a ‘significant’ financial agreement had now been reached. He said he could not disclose the full amount for legal reasons, but that if he were one day released it would ‘allow him to rebuild a life and have a future’.

Zubaydah was the first person to be subjected to the CIA’s ‘enhanced interrogation’ techniques, which included sleep deprivation, slapping and waterboarding. Image: Guantanamo Bay in Cuba

Robert Jenrick has written to David Lammy seeking answers after Abu Zubaydah reached a financial settlement following a legal claim against the UK, claiming the country’s intelligence services were ‘complicit’ in his torture.

Mr Jenrick described the deal as the government’s ‘choice’, asking ‘by what authority’ the payment was made.

“He is accused of running terrorist training camps in Afghanistan and acting as the central gatekeeper for jihadists, including Osama Bin Laden, who were planning attacks on the West,” Mr. Jenrick wrote.

‘Held at Guantanamo Bay by the United States under successive presidents; because they believe they pose the highest level of security risk.

‘Our government did not and never has requested his release.

‘However, reports confirm that your Government has accepted a “significant” payment. With what authority? Is there a court decision ordering this? Has it been objected?’

He added that ‘the recent case before the UK Supreme Court did not decide on compensation’ and ‘only reached a technical decision on the applicable law’.

“This solution is a choice,” Mr. Jenrick continued.

‘Instead of defending our security services in court, you chose to surrender to the law.

‘How could giving him taxpayers’ money be a priority?’

Mr Jenrick also pointed out that Attorney-General Lord Richard Hermer had previously advised Zubaydah.

He wrote: ‘So is this the Attorney General’s decision? Lord Hermer KC was Zubaydah’s lawyer.

‘He built the case against the Crown.

‘It is difficult to see this as anything other than a payment arranged by the claimant’s former lawyer, who is now in the Cabinet and signed the cheque.’

Mr Jenrick then asked three questions: ‘What exactly is the amount we paid?’, ‘Why would we settle when the High Court hasn’t ruled?’ and ‘When exactly did Lord Hermer withdraw?’ and says ‘the public deserves answers’.

Ms Duffy, Zubaydah’s international legal counsel, told the Daily Mail: ‘This is important but insufficient. It’s really important that they now try to facilitate his release and transfer from Guantanamo Bay to safety.

‘While financial compensation is important, it is not enough to end his nightmare. What he wants is for him to be able to try to live some kind of normal life, having had his freedom and 24 years taken away from him.’

Professor Duffy admitted there was ‘a long way to go’ before his release, but added: ‘I hope this will make it easier for the UK Government and other actors to pay more attention to this situation, to understand that this is not just a terrible thing that happened in the past, but that it is still going on today, and to take steps to end it.

‘There is no legal basis for his arrest. There is no moral basis for this person to be detained without charge or trial for 24 years, and there is no security concern. What is needed is political action from the UK and others.’

The lawyer could not disclose the full compensation amount but described it as ‘significant’, adding: ‘I think this should give him the opportunity to rebuild a life and build a future when he is released from Guantanamo.

‘But the critical question is; Will it happen? But will the UK and others be willing to step in to make this happen?’

Prof Duffy added: ‘I think it is important to note that it is not that difficult for the UK to offer assistance to the United States in ending this costly and unreasonable detention at Guantanamo Bay.

‘They could offer to help find him somewhere to live safely, in England or elsewhere, without any political or other cost to themselves.

‘He effectively spent 24 years in a cell at Guantanamo under very harsh detention conditions.

‘What he wants is freedom and what he seeks is a safe state that can give him a home around the world.

‘He would be very grateful to any offer. ‘This doesn’t mean he will come to the UK, but what we want is for the UK to take steps to find him a suitable home.’

Zubaydah has filed a legal case against the UK, claiming the country’s intelligence services were ‘complicit’ in her torture.

Zubaydah is one of 15 prisoners currently at Guantanamo Bay. Commonly referred to as ‘doomed forever’

Zubaydah is still being held at Guantanamo Bay and is unable to access funds.

Former attorney general Dominic Grieve, who chaired the parliamentary inquiry into Zubaydah’s case, described the compensation as ‘very unusual’ but said what happened to her was ‘clearly wrong’.

He told the BBC that the UK had evidence that “the Americans are behaving in a way that gives us real cause for concern”.

“We should have raised this issue with the United States and, if necessary, closed cooperation, but we could not achieve this for a long time,” he added.

Zubaydah was captured in Pakistan during a raid by the US and Pakistani security services in March 2002.

His capture was welcomed by President George W. Bush, who said he was a high-level Al Qaeda operative who ‘planned and plotted murder’.

Zubaydah was transferred between secret detention centers for four years before being imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay in 2006.

U.S. intelligence concluded that he was a militant in Afghanistan in the 1980s and 1990s, but never joined Al Qaeda and had no connection to the 9/11 attacks.

He is believed to have served as an assistant to fighters in Afghanistan and worked as a camp manager and facilitator.

The US has unceremoniously accused him of having knowledge of multiple terrorist attacks, although there is no evidence of his direct involvement.

Zubaydah is one of 15 prisoners currently at Guantanamo Bay. He is widely referred to as ‘eternally doomed’.