Information Blocked On National Security Grounds Significantly Limited By UK Tribunal

The government’s power to block requests for information on national security grounds has been significantly limited after a tribunal ruling on the targeted killing of British jihadists operating overseas, the Guardian reports.

The court said officials could not rely on a full ban on all relevant details of RAF drone strikes carried out in Syria in 2015.

However, the legal advice given to the Prime Minister before the strikes remains confidential.

The decision made by the upper tribunal administrative appeals chamber shortly before Christmas said Freedom of Information requests should take into account how far security concerns are balanced against wider public interests.

The challenge was brought by Rights Watch (UK) after RAF drone strikes were carried out to target two British citizens, Reyaad Khan and Ruhul Amin.

The strikes prompted accusations that officials were operating a US-style “kill list”.

In the hearing, the government argued that section 23 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 allowed for a total exemption on handing over information passing through security agencies.

However, the tribunal rejected that argument.

According to the Guardian, it stated:

“Although we accept that the disaggregated information … can be said to relate to [the security agencies], parliament did not intend such information to be covered by the absolute section 23 exemption.”