The USA, like Britain, has ratified the UN Convention Against Torture, prohibiting it from inflicting ‘severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental’. In response, the Bush government has developed an arsenal of ‘stressful’ methods which, they claim, do not qualify as torture.

The countries where torture has taken place form a complex international network .

Afghanistan

Since 2001, the USA has established several detention camps in Afghanistan. One British citizen, captured in Afghanistan, confessed under torture to having been with Osama bin Laden on a particular day. In reality, he had been working at Curry’s in Tipton.

Cuba

Guantanamo Bay is a US base leased from Cuba. The US government initially argued that neither Cuban nor US law applied there.

Diego Garcia

The US is believed to hold detainees at ‘Camp Justice’ on Diego Garcia, a British-owned island in the Indian Ocean.

Egypt

Many terrorist suspects have been ‘rendered’ to Egypt, where a state of emergency is in force and torture is widespread.

Gambia

In 2002 Wahab Al-Rawi and his brother Bisher were arrested on a business trip from Britain to Gambia. After interrogation by US intelligence, Wahab was released. Bisher, who is an Iraqi citizen, was flown to Guantanamo Bay, where he remains.

Iraq

According to a US Army report, the Abu Ghraib abuses were an isolated incident. Similar photographs have since surfaced from a British Army base in Iraq.

Israel

Israeli interrogators claim that their use of torture has prevented suicide bombings, although this has been disputed.

Saudi Arabia

Suspects in Saudi jails are routinely tortured into confessing. Victims have included two British men.

Syria

Denounced by George Bush as part of the ‘axis of evil’. Has tortured terrorist suspects on behalf of the USA.

Uzbekistan

Notorious for brutal torture methods. MI6 has described information obtained from Uzbekistan as ‘high-grade intelligence’.