'Lindh agreed' Egypt deportations

Anna Lindh was killed in 2003

Sweden's late foreign minister Anna Lindh approved the deportation of two Egyptian terror suspects despite the risk of torture, officials have said.

In December 2001, Sweden handed over Ahmed Agiza and Mohammed al Zery to US agents, who flew them to Egypt on an aircraft leased by the Pentagon.

The foreign ministry says Ms Lindh was unaware of US involvement in the case.

The UN has heavily criticised Sweden for deporting the men, who say they were tortured in Egypt.

The UN Committee against Torture said Sweden should have known Egypt often tortures detainees.

The case is a blow for Sweden which prides itself on its human rights record.

Egyptian assurances

Appearing before a parliamentary investigation into the deportations, police and staff of Ms Lindh - who was stabbed to death in 2003 - gave different accounts of the case.

"We would not have been able to accept this offer (from US security services) if Anna Lindh had thought it was too risky politically," Swedish Security Police (SAPO) officer Arne Andersson said.

"If the ministry or the government had thought it improper to use American help, then naturally we would not have done so," said former SAPO chief Jan Danielsson.

But Sven-Olof Petersson, the foreign ministry's chief political adviser at the time, told the hearing "the word "American" was never mentioned" at the meeting where Ms Lindh agreed to the extraditions.

Agiza's family say he was tortured before receiving a prison sentence on terror-related changes.

Mr Al Zery was freed by a military court.

The authorities have said that the men were handed over after Egypt gave assurances that they would not be mistreated.

Sweden is due to report back to the UN after three months on how it will prevent a repetition of such occurrences.