THE British government gagged the media yesterday to stop them revealing the identity of a spy reported to have helped torture terror suspects held in Greece.
A leading Greek paper has named a man it claims is the MI6 station chief in Athens.
He and another British official are alleged to have helped the Greek authorities arrest and then interrogate 28 Pakistani-born detainees seized in connection with the July 7 London bombings.
The paper, Proto Thema, reported 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.
Following the questioning, the British officers told the captives their families in Pakistan and Britain faced reprisals if they spoke of their ordeal.
A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said it would not confirm or deny the allegations.
A government D-notice has been issued, prohibiting the British media from naming the man.
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw previously told MPs the allegations were "complete nonsense."
Proto Thema said the suspects, who were all migrant workers, were questioned over mobile phone calls linked to the suicide bombers and another man in Pakistan wanted for questioning about the attacks.
The detainees said they were convinced their interrogators were British, though they spoke fluent Greek. One was described as black.
The allegations first arose in the Greek media more than a fortnight ago.
On December 13, speaking to the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr Straw dismissed the reports.
"They are complete nonsense and no United Kingdom officials have taken part in any alleged mistreatment in Greece of any suspects whatsoever and we were not involved in the arrest or detention of those particular suspects," he said.
A spokesman for the Greek Embassy in London said the country’s Minister for Public Order had also denied the incidents took place.
But on Sunday, Proto Thema named the British officer and 15 Greek agents it claims took part.
It also emerged that the Greek ministry of justice is to investigate the allegations after a lawyer acting for one of the detainees lodged a formal complaint.
The claims have led to angry questions from Greek human rights groups and opposition parties over why British agents are operating in their country.
