David Miliband has admitted two US "extraordinary rendition" flights landed on UK territory in 2002.
The foreign secretary said in both cases US planes refuelled on the UK dependent territory of Diego Garcia.
He said he was "very sorry" to have to say that previous denials made in "good faith" were now having to be corrected.
The renditions - the transport of terror suspects around the world for interrogation - only came to light after a US records search, he said.
BBC world affairs correspondent Paul Reynolds said the revelations were "a serious embarrassment for the British government".
Former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and former Prime Minister Tony Blair made statements in 2005, 2006 and 2007 saying there was no evidence that rendition flights had stopped on UK territory.
Water boarding
Mr Miliband said the US had told him that neither of the two men involved in the rendition were British, neither left the plane and the US had "assured" him that no US detainees were ever held on Diego Garcia and US records showed no other evidence of renditions through UK territory.
But he said he would compile a list of all flights in UK territory about which concerns had been expressed to send to the US for "specific assurance" they were not used for rendition.
One of the men involved has since been released and one is at Guantanamo Bay.
We both agree that the mistakes made in these two cases are not acceptable
David Miliband
A
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