CLAIMS that Blairite former foreign secretary Jack Straw was complicit in torture will be heard in court after an initial decision to throw out the case was overturned yesterday.

The High Court rejected the case against Mr Straw and former MI6 chief Sir Mark Allen, accepting ministers’ claims that it could damage US-British relations.

But appeal judges decided that while the trial would be likely to require a British court to asses the actions of CIA and Libyan agents, this was no reason to bar the case.

Libyan dissident Abdul Hakim Belhaj and his wife Fatima Boudchar are bringing the case after their rendition to Tripoli by the CIA in 2004.

Mr Belhaj said: “My wife and I are gratified by the judges’ decision to give us our day in court.

“There is only one way put our story to rest — justice. We look forward to a full public trial and pray the truth will finally come out.”

Documents found in the office of Libyan spy chief Moussa Koussa following the Gadaffi regime’s overthrow in 2011 apparently show Mr Allen stressing his role in the operation and that the intelligence on Mr Belhaj was British. The Court of Appeal said the allegations were of “particularly grave violations of human rights.

“The stark reality is that unless the English courts are able to exercise jurisdiction in this case, these very grave allegations against the executive will never be subjected to judicial investigation.”

Legal charity Reprieve director Cori Crider said: “The government so fears this case going to trial that they have stalled for years by throwing up a parade of scarecrows — claiming, for example, that the United States would be angered if Mr and Ms Belhaj had their day in court in Britain.

“The court was right: embarrassment is no reason to throw torture victims out of court.”

A Foreign Office spokesman said it would consider the judgement and decide whether to appeal to the Supreme Court but that it would be inappropriate to comment further.

Mr Straw’s office was not available for comment.

paddym@peoples-press.com