The head of MI5 has taken a risk by speaking out in defence of his organisation, at a time when the Metropolitan Police is investigating whether any of his intelligence officers have been complicit in the abuse of al-Qaeda detainees by American CIA interrogators.

Some might argue that the issue of the mistreatment of detainees is sub judice while the inquiries are still continuing. However, Jonathan Evans seized the opportunity to focus on the highly sensitive topic when invited to speak at a private function at his old university in Bristol. His full speech has also been placed on MI5’s website to give it maximum coverage.

The Metropolitan Police is investigating whether an MI5 officer had indirectly committed a crime by putting questions to Binyam Mohamed. Mr Mohamed, an Ethiopian-born British resident arrested in Pakistan as a suspected terrorist, was subsequently flown to a secret detention centre in Morocco and allegedly tortured by the Americans.

MI6 is also being investigated by the police in connection with another similar case which does not involve Mr Mohamed.

The inquiries are likely to continue for some months and the findings will be handed to Baroness Scotland, QC, the Attorney-General who will have to decide whether a prosecution is appropriate.

Mr Evans has not spoken publicly about the issue until now, although MI5 has always made clear on its website that it never condones torture.

In his speech at Bristol University, Mr Evans has set out the reasons why his service is obliged to accept intelligence from all sources, even when there is potentially concern over how the information was acquired. In other words, the defence of the United Kingdom and its citizens had to be seen as the priority.

The Government has promised to publish updated guidelines to be issued to MI5 and MI6 to ensure that every precaution is taken to prevent abuse of human rights when intelligence is sought from suspected terrorists.

However, Mr Evans clearly wants it known that from the founding of MI5 a 100 years ago the position on torture has always been constant — it is prohibited.

He recalled in his speech one of the service’s legendary interrogators who questioned suspected spies in the Second World War.

“From the earliest days, the Service had a culture of pragmatic decency that served it well in changing times. In the Second World War, the officer in charge of interrogating foreign prisoners was Colonel Robin “Tin Eye” Stephens. Stephens, though an intimidating figure with his glittering monocle, was quite clear that there was to be no physical mistreatment of prisoners. In his view it was the wrong way to proceed — there were better ways of getting to the truth,” Mr Evans said.

“This debate is of course still very relevant. I can say quite clearly that the Security Service does not torture people, nor do we collude in torture or solicit others to torture people on our behalf. That is a very clear and long established principle.”

His message last night appeared to be directed not just at the general public but also to the Metropolitan Police and the Attorney-General.

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