§ Mr. Moyleasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action has now been taken in respect of allegations of ill treatment of suspected terrorists in Aden referred to in the Bowen Report.
§ Mr. George ThomsonMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and I have now received the results of the inquiries by the Ministry of Defence as well as those by the then High Commissioner, Sir Richard Turnbull. A thorough investigation has been carried out into the allegations by the Special Investigation Branch of the Army in which more than two hundred people were interviewed. The results of this investigation do not justify the preferring of charges against the three men referred to in the Bowen Report or against anyone else. This investigation showed too that, contrary to reports in the Press, at no time were inquiries impeded by the then Chief of Intelligence, Brigadier Cowper.
Sir Richard Turnbull's report on the manner in which the allegations were investigated by the Administration shows that the prescribed procedure was followed but that the difficult circumstances in Aden over that period unavoidably 234W delayed the process of investigation. Following the recommendations in the Bowen Report, the procedures have been improved.