Amnesty International is denouncing Algeria's alleged use of torture to obtain information about terrorism from prisoners.

The human rights group says Algeria's intelligence agency, the Department for Information and Security, is using the international "war on terror" to perpetuate abuses.

The group says detainees are held for months without outside contact and are subject to beatings, electrical shocks and the forced ingestion of dirty water, urine or chemicals. Amnesty also urged foreign governments to not forcibly return Algerians likely to be abused.

Amnesty issued its report Monday one day before Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is to meet British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London. They are expected to discuss an agreement that would enable Britain to deport Algerian terror suspects.

The Algerian Embassy in London declined comment on the Amnesty report.