Key evidence revealing Hong Kong's role in the rendition of Libyan dissident Sami al-Saadi to Muammar Gaddafi's torture chambers has been destroyed by city aviation officials, hampering the investigation of British lawyers.
Saadi, an outspoken opponent of the late Libyan dictator, had come to Hong Kong with his family in 2004 after the British government promised them a safe flight back to Britain, where he lived in exile during the 1990s prior to moving to China.
But when Saadi arrived at Chek Lap Kok airport, he was detained along with his wife and four children, aged six to 12, for almost a fortnight before being forced onto a private Egyptian-registered jet and flown to the Libyan capital, Tripoli.
The family was imprisoned and Saadi claims he was subjected to years of torture.
His legal team from UK law firm Leigh Day and legal charity Reprieve are suing Britain's spy agencies, Home Office and Foreign Office for their role in his rendition.
Lawyers following the paper trail had requested from Hong Kong the details of Saadi's flight on March 28, 2004.
Cori Crider, legal director for Reprieve, said a letter was sent to Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department last month, but they had yet to receive a response even after the 10-day mandatory deadline for replying to data requests had passed.
