Blair and the British help to fight terrorism -
A surprisingly large number of British people support the torture of terror suspects.
The finding comes at a time when Blair turned down demands for an inquiry into claims that US flights were being allowed to pass through the UK to send terror suspects abroad for torture. He says he has "no knowledge" of secret CIA flights within Europe.
In Spain and Italy, only 21 per cent and 23 per cent respectively gave their backing to the torture.
However, French and German residents gave similar responses to the UK, with 32 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. Despite opposing the war, a slightly higher percentage of the French supported torture of terror suspects than the British - 30% of Brits supported it.
13:30pm 14th December 2005
Nearly one-third of Britons support torturing suspected terrorists, according to a new survey.
The poll comes as Tony Blair refuted demands for an inquiry into claims that US flights were being allowed to pass through the UK to send terror suspects abroad for torture.
Thirty per cent of people questioned by pollsters Ipsos Mori said torture would "sometimes or often" be justified to obtain information about terrorist plots.
About two-thirds of people (62 per cent) said they would oppose allowing the US government to interrogate terror suspects secretly in this country.
Ipsos Mori managing director Sam McGuire said: "Anxiety about news reports of prisoner abuse in Iraq and around the globe has heightened public concern about the question of using torture against suspected terrorists.
"It is interesting to see that such a large group of people in the UK and Europe support torture, and it will be important to track public opinion on this issue over time to see how attitudes change as international security policies shift and develop."
The survey across nine nations revealed less support for torture in Spain and Italy, where 21 per cent and 23 per cent respectively gave their backing.
French and German residents gave similar responses to the UK, with 32 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.
Blair snubs inquiry
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has refuted Liberal Democrat demands for an inquiry into the alleged torture flights, saying it would be "completely absurd" to investigate every US Government plane, which flew into the country.
He again insisted that the British Government was "completely and totally opposed to torture or ill-treatment in any set of circumstances".
Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy demanded the probe at question time amid continuing concern over the so called policy of "rendition" of terror suspects.
Mr Blair said: "Our country is a signatory to the UN Convention against the use of torture. We will continue to uphold its provisions absolutely.
"Rendition does not simply apply in those circumstances. It can apply in other circumstances - as the Secretary of State in the US has made clear.
"They have also said - to be fair - that they are totally opposed to the use of torture or ill-treatment in any circumstances."
Mr Kennedy welcomed the Prime Minister's comments but added: "Will you acknowledge that our country, surely is under a legal and moral obligation to investigate why flights are being allowed to pass through our country for rendition purposes.
"There are full inquiries now taking place in Italy, Spain, Germany and Canada. Why not in the UK?"
Mr Blair said Foreign Secretary Jack Straw's parliamentary answer earlier this week said careful research by officials had been unable to identify "'any occasion since September 11, 2001, or earlier in the Bush administration when we received a request for permission by the US for rendition through UK territory or airspace ...'"
He said there was a "whole series of reasons" for flights coming in from the US.
"We have visits from people from the US Government the entire time.
"The Liberal Democrats are quite extraordinary sometimes. The idea that we should be investigating every time a US Government plane flies into this country is completely absurd."
dailymail.co.uk
A surprisingly large number of British people support the torture of terror suspects.
The finding comes at a time when Blair turned down demands for an inquiry into claims that US flights were being allowed to pass through the UK to send terror suspects abroad for torture. He says he has "no knowledge" of secret CIA flights within Europe.
In Spain and Italy, only 21 per cent and 23 per cent respectively gave their backing to the torture.
However, French and German residents gave similar responses to the UK, with 32 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. Despite opposing the war, a slightly higher percentage of the French supported torture of terror suspects than the British - 30% of Brits supported it.
13:30pm 14th December 2005
Nearly one-third of Britons support torturing suspected terrorists, according to a new survey.
The poll comes as Tony Blair refuted demands for an inquiry into claims that US flights were being allowed to pass through the UK to send terror suspects abroad for torture.
Thirty per cent of people questioned by pollsters Ipsos Mori said torture would "sometimes or often" be justified to obtain information about terrorist plots.
About two-thirds of people (62 per cent) said they would oppose allowing the US government to interrogate terror suspects secretly in this country.
Ipsos Mori managing director Sam McGuire said: "Anxiety about news reports of prisoner abuse in Iraq and around the globe has heightened public concern about the question of using torture against suspected terrorists.
"It is interesting to see that such a large group of people in the UK and Europe support torture, and it will be important to track public opinion on this issue over time to see how attitudes change as international security policies shift and develop."
The survey across nine nations revealed less support for torture in Spain and Italy, where 21 per cent and 23 per cent respectively gave their backing.
French and German residents gave similar responses to the UK, with 32 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.
Blair snubs inquiry
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has refuted Liberal Democrat demands for an inquiry into the alleged torture flights, saying it would be "completely absurd" to investigate every US Government plane, which flew into the country.
He again insisted that the British Government was "completely and totally opposed to torture or ill-treatment in any set of circumstances".
Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy demanded the probe at question time amid continuing concern over the so called policy of "rendition" of terror suspects.
Mr Blair said: "Our country is a signatory to the UN Convention against the use of torture. We will continue to uphold its provisions absolutely.
"Rendition does not simply apply in those circumstances. It can apply in other circumstances - as the Secretary of State in the US has made clear.
"They have also said - to be fair - that they are totally opposed to the use of torture or ill-treatment in any circumstances."
Mr Kennedy welcomed the Prime Minister's comments but added: "Will you acknowledge that our country, surely is under a legal and moral obligation to investigate why flights are being allowed to pass through our country for rendition purposes.
"There are full inquiries now taking place in Italy, Spain, Germany and Canada. Why not in the UK?"
Mr Blair said Foreign Secretary Jack Straw's parliamentary answer earlier this week said careful research by officials had been unable to identify "'any occasion since September 11, 2001, or earlier in the Bush administration when we received a request for permission by the US for rendition through UK territory or airspace ...'"
He said there was a "whole series of reasons" for flights coming in from the US.
"We have visits from people from the US Government the entire time.
"The Liberal Democrats are quite extraordinary sometimes. The idea that we should be investigating every time a US Government plane flies into this country is completely absurd."
dailymail.co.uk
