2 terrorism suspects handed over to U.S., British official says

LONDON — Contradicting previous denials about Britain's participation in the Bush administration's global war on terrorism, Defense Minister John Hutton said Thursday that Britain had handed over two terrorism suspects captured in Iraq to the United States, which sent them to Afghanistan, where they remain after more than four years.

The men, thought to be Pakistani nationals, are members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistani Islamist group with links to al-Qaida, and have been classified as "unlawful enemy combatants," Hutton said.

His disclosure contradicts past claims by British government officials that the government was never complicit in the practice of extraordinary rendition, in which detainees are sent to third countries, including some in which torture is common.

The revelation sparked criticism from opposition politicians and civil-liberties groups, which said the government is revealing details of its complicity in the U.S. crackdown on terrorism in bits and pieces, and only after repeated denials.

Hutton said he now knew that some Cabinet ministers were aware the two were handed over to the United States and transferred to Afghanistan in 2004. Government officials, however, continued to deny that such practices had occurred. The cases were exposed after a review of detentions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hutton apologized for the past misinformation provided to members of Parliament.

"The U.S. government has explained to us that they were moved to Afghanistan because of a lack of relevant linguists necessary to interrogate them effectively in Iraq," Hutton said. More recently, he added, the United States has told Britain that it wasn't "possible or desirable" to return the men to Iraq or their home country.

The episode is the "latest in a series of issues where the government has been less than straightforward" regarding Britain's role in the so-called war on terrorism, including treatment of detainees, said David Davis, a former spokesman for the opposition on domestic affairs.

A year ago this month, the British government admitted after past denials that two U.S. flights carrying terrorism suspects for interrogation had landed for refueling in 2002 at a military base in Diego Garcia, a British dependent territory.

More recently, the case of Binyam Mohamed, a former British resident who was held at the Guantánamo Bay prison camp for more than four years, has revived accusations of British complicity in torture. Mohamed returned to Britain on Monday.