A FORMER inmate of the Guantanamo Bay camp has been identified as the first British citizen known to have been subjected to the CIA’s practice of rendition — the capture and transfer of terrorism suspects across the world without legal process.

Newly revealed flight logs of a CIA Gulfstream executive jet — detailed in a book to be published this week — indicate that it was used in April 2002 to transport Martin Mubanga, a Londoner now aged 33, to Guantanamo after he was captured in Zambia.

According to his lawyer, Mubanga was illegally handed to America without an extradition hearing and after questioning by US and British agents.

The same Gulfstream V jet has visited British airports more than 20 times since September 11, 2001, and has frequently been involved in CIA renditions. Its suspected use in transporting a British citizen may increase pressure in parliament for an official inquiry into Britain’s involvement.

On December 8, 2002 the same plane was used to render two British residents arrested in Gambia, west Africa, to a CIA prison in Afghanistan, from where they were also taken to Guantanamo. Documents show that the transfer of the pair, Bisher al-Rawi and Jamil el-Banna, took place shortly after the Foreign Office declined consular responsibility for them as they are not British passport holders, although they have residency status in this country. They were accused of being associates of Abu Qatada, the radical cleric who is detained in Britain. Another British resident, Binyam Mohamed, was rendered in 2004.

One of the most frequently made allegations against the government is that it has permitted America to use British sovereign territory on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia to hold suspects in secret.

Ministers have dismissed such reports as “without foundation”. But new flight records raise doubts. The Gulfstream jet flew to the island base from Washington on September 11, 2002 just after Ramzi Binalshibh, one of the architects of 9/11, was arrested.

Further details of Britain’s alleged involvement in CIA renditions are to be published in Ghost Plane: The Inside Story of the CIA’s Secret Rendition Programme, which quotes British security sources as acknowledging involvement “on the periphery” of several such operations, even though British officials insisted they argued strongly against such practices.

The book is written by Stephen Grey, the journalist who first detailed the workings of America’s system of rendition flights in The Sunday Times in 2004. According to Ghost Plane, the CIA has carried out hundreds of renditions of terrorism suspects to countries which have used torture, including Egypt, Syria, Morocco and even Uzbekistan, which has reportedly boiled prisoners alive.

Edward Walker, a former US ambassador to Egypt, said official statements about torture were “not telling the truth”. This contradicts assurances President George W Bush has given European governments.

Mubanga, who has joint Zambian and British nationality, was arrested in Zambia in March 2002 on suspicion of fighting in Afghanistan. He said he was never charged but was questioned by British and US intelligence officials. He said he had been to Pakistan to study Islam and later returned to visit relatives. After about three weeks of questioning he was told he was going to Guantanamo.

Flight records indicate the Gulfstream jet involved, with the registration N379P, left Washington early on April 18 for Frankfurt. After refuelling it flew to Entebbe, Uganda. Records of its movements after this are incomplete but Entebbe is en route for, and two hours’ flying time from, Lusaka in Zambia. The Gulfstream next appeared in Washington on April 20, by when Mubanga had reached Cuba.

Louise Christian, Mubanga’s lawyer, said the evidence should spur demands for an investigation into his case: “There is strong evidence to suggest that the British government and security services were complicit.”

Ghost Plane: The Inside Story of the CIA’s Secret Rendition Programme by Stephen Grey is published in Britain on Thursday by C Hurst & Co at £16.95

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