Six Met officers under investigation for 'waterboarding'
Six officers from Metropolitan police under investigation for allegedly waterboarding suspects after north London drugs raid
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Wednesday, 10, Jun 2009 03:01
Six officers from the Metropolitan police are under investigation for allegedly waterboarding suspects after a drugs raid in north London.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission said it was investigating the "conduct and actions" of the officers following the execution of two drugs warrants in Enfield last November.
The Metropolitan police said six officers had been suspended or placed on restricted duties since concerns were raised by an internal investigation.
Although Scotland Yard said it was "not appropriate to make assumptions" about the nature of the claims, the IPCC confirmed it was investigating a specific waterboarding allegation.
Waterboarding, previously employed by the CIA in the interrogation of al-Qaida suspects, involves immobilising a victim on their back with their head inclined downwards and pouring water over their face and breathing passages.
The technique causes suffocation and inhalation of water, leading the subject to experience drowning and believe they are about to die. It is widely considered to be a form of torture and was recently banned by Barack Obama in the US.
Scotland Yard is currently investigating whether MI5 used the banned technique against terror suspects.
The IPCC said that the allegations surfaced following a separate Met inquiry into the mishandling of property by the crime squad on Enfield borough involved in last November's drug raids.
"The case was referred to the IPCC on April 3rd and on that date a decision was taken that a fully independent IPCC investigation would begin into these specific actions and conduct matters that were alleged to have taken place," a statement said.
"A team of investigators, led by a senior IPCC investigator continue to investigate this case. So far IPCC investigators have conducted house to house enquiries, appealed for witnesses and taken a number of statements.
"This is an ongoing criminal investigation and as such all six officers will be criminally interviewed under caution."
It is understood that the reported offences took place against a group of young foreign nationals who did not lodge any complaints themselves.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said the claims "raised real concern".