Britain’s complicity in shady US drone strikes was once again thrown under the spotlight yesterday after a German newspaper obtained a secret “kill list” including Afghan and Pakistani targets.

Der Spiegel detailed documents apparently showing that Nato and British forces in Afghanistan planned to target and kill hundreds of individuals across the border in Pakistan.

The British government has consistently denied that it has carried out drone strikes outside Afghanistan and has refused to confirm whether and to what extent it is involved in the CIA’s drone strikes in Pakistan.

Those on the list included key al-Qaida leaders, but also civilians such as alleged drug dealers, whose extrajudicial execution would violate international law.

Legal action charity Reprieve staff attorney Jennifer Gibson said the revelations were “the most damning evidence to date of UK complicity in the covert drone war in Pakistan.”

Se added: “The UK can no longer dodge questions by claiming the drone wars in Pakistan are a ‘matter for the states involved.’ These documents clearly show the UK is one of those states.

“The UK now needs to come clean about its role in executing a ‘kill list’ that goes far beyond targeting only militant leaders.”