The British government ordered police yesterday to investigate allegations by an ex-Guantanamo Bay detainee that United Kingdom intelligence officers were complicit in his torture overseas.

Attorney General Patricia Scotland told lawmakers in a written statement that police would begin an inquiry into Binyam Mohammed's claims that an officer from Britain's domestic security agency MI5 was aware he had been tortured.

Mohammed - an Ethiopian who moved to Britain as a teenager - was arrested as a suspected terrorist in 2002 in Karachi, Pakistan. He says he was tortured in Pakistan and in Morocco before he was transferred to Guantanamo in 2004. He was released from Guantanamo in February and has since been recovering at an undisclosed British location.

Could face criminal charges

Scotland, who began an inquiry into the case in October, said she asked London Police Commissioner Paul Stephenson to investigate whether there was evidence that intelligence officers or others should face criminal charges. Police said Stephenson received the letter and confirmed an investigation would be launched.

Mohammed said in a statement he was pleased with Thursday's decision, but urged police to examine the conduct of senior intelligence officers.