Greek MPs called today for a full judicial investigation into claims of illegal abductions after an Athens newspaper published the names of Greek agents and a British MI6 officer allegedly involved.

Twenty-seven Pakistanis living in Greece have claimed that they were illegally snatched from their homes in the days after the July 7 bombings, in which four suicide bombers – three of them Britons of Pakistani origin – killed 52 London commuters.

They say at least two British officials took part in their interrogations during which they were allegedly beaten.

The claims have been repeatedly denied by the Greek and Pakistani governments and by Britain, which has issued a "D-notice" gagging order on national newspapers to prevent them republishing the name of the British officer.

The Greek Government faces a parliamentary hearing into the allegations on January 11 and a Greek prosecutor has ordered a preliminary inquiry, which is limited in its scope. Opposition MPs are pressing for an expanded judicial investigation. "It is clear there has been a cover up of this issue at a high level," said Nikos Voutsis of the Left Coalition party.

"The question is whether this happened or not ... if this indeed did happen, this creates problems for our national sovereignty," added Christos Papoutsis, a spokesman on security issues for the Socialist party, the main opposition grouping.

Last weekend, the newspaper Proto Thema published the name of a man said to be the MI6 station chief in Athens and people it identified as members of Greece’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) who were allegedly involved in the operation.

The newspaper, an investigative weekly, reported that the men had been seized in July, held in secret and hooded. One claimed to have had a gun forced in his mouth and another claims to have been hit "very hard" on the head.

Proto Thema said that the suspects, who were all migrant workers, were questioned over mobile phone calls linked to the suicide bombers and to another man in Pakistan wanted for questioning about the attacks.

Some of the detainees have now given evidence to a magistrate about their treatment. One, Muhammad Munir, claims he was held incommunicado for six days and "hit very hard on the head". He and others said that they were sure the figures questioning them were British, yet all of them spoke fluent Greek. They described "a black British case officer" as taking part in their interrogation.

Most of the 28 men are too frightened to complain about their treatment, saying that they were threatened by the British officers that their families in Pakistan and Britain would suffer if they spoke about the interrogation.

Those who have been persuaded by Pakistani community leaders to give evidence claim they were seized at the homes at night, hooded and driven to secret locations. Some are alleged to have been held at EYP, the headquarters of Greek intelligence.

Gul Nawaz, who has lived in Athens for three years, said in his deposition: "Twice a policeman hit me while I was on the floor. I asked him for some water and he punched me in the face. They took my mobile phone. They wanted to know about my friends in London and relatives and phone calls."

He was asked if he had any links to al-Qaeda. "I said I didn’t know. I said I’m just a Muslim and I work to send money to my wife and three children in Pakistan. I never called anybody in London."

A lawyer for eight of the Pakistanis said today that they had initiated legal proceedings against the agents named in the newspaper report – although John Carr, Athens Correspondent of The Times, said the agents would enjoy immunity from legal action.

But Carr said that the January 11 parliamentary inquiry would give the Greek Government more of a headache when George Voulgarakis, the Public Order Minister, would have to answer MPs’ questions.

"He will face a range of questions, the main one being why the Greek Government allowed foreign operatives to work in Greece," Carr said. "The Government cannot stonewall forever – it’s going to have to come up with some kind of face-saving formula before January 11."

Proto Thema claimed that Costas Karamanlis, the Greek Prime Minister, sanctioned the operation, which it said was British-led. It named two officials working in his office as taking part in negotiations over this incident.

If the Greek Government bows to demands for an investigation, British ministers may have to defend the behaviour of MI6 agents abroad. Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, has dismissed the allegations as "complete nonsense".

Makis Triantafyllopoulos, publisher of Proto Thema, said last night: "The Greek and British governments have been lying from the start."

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Milk: do we need a dairy godmother?
• DIY: the women doing it for themselves
• First double portrait of Princes unveiled