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<p>Prior to the start of General Purpose Force training on 11 June 2014, the UK had
several discussions with the Libyan government about the selection and vetting of
the Libyan trainees. These conversations also included representations from the United
States and Italy.</p><p> </p><p>The Libyan government provided trainee candidates
who had been through Libyan vetting and selection processes. These candidates were
then subject to additional UK vetting in Libya, to ensure that those selected met
Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Ministry of Defence and Home Office requirements
on security, immigration, medical, physical, literacy and numeracy criteria; in addition,
the selected cohort comprised a suitable geographic representation of Libya. Home
Office visa processes included checks against UK criminal databases and a visa declaration
by all trainees which confirmed that they held no criminal convictions or charges
in the UK or elsewhere.</p><p> </p><p>We are not aware that any of those candidates
who passed UK screening had criminal convictions or faced charges at that time in
the UK or elsewhere.</p><p> </p><p>During the course of training the Libyan General
Purpose Force (GPF) we are aware of sixteen individuals being arrested. Of these five
have been remanded in custody while facing the following criminal charges:</p><p>
</p><p>Three counts of sexual assault, one count of theft of a pedal cycle and one
count of exposure.</p><p> </p><p>Three counts of sexual assault and one count of theft
of a pedal cycle.</p><p> </p><p>Two counts of sexual assault, one count of theft of
a pedal cycle and one count of using threatening/abusive/insulting words/behaviour
to cause harassment/alarm/distress against a police officer.</p><p> </p><p>One count
of rape.</p><p> </p><p>One count of rape.</p><p> </p><p>All other trainees at Bassingbourn
have been returned to Libya.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A team has been set up to produce
for the Defence Secretary before Christmas an objective report into the GPF training.
It is led by a MOD senior civil servant who was not involved in the original work,
supported by a senior civil servant loaned from another Government Department to provide
an additional element of independence and challenge.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
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