UK spies told to ignore US detainee abuse after 9/11

British intelligence officers in Afghanistan knew about the mistreatment of suspected terrorists by the United States after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, but were told not to intervene for fear of offending Washington, an inquiry found on Thursday.

In a series of episodes, which the government said had damaged Britain's international reputation, the report also found that British spies had been involved in the US practice of "rendition", in which captured terrorists were transferred without legal process to third countries. (Reuters)