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Spain drops Guantanamo case bid | Spain drops Guantanamo case bid |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Spanish authorities have dropped extradition proceedings against former Guantanamo Bay detainees from Britain, their solicitor has said. | Spanish authorities have dropped extradition proceedings against former Guantanamo Bay detainees from Britain, their solicitor has said. |
Jamil el-Banna and Omar Deghayes returned to the UK in December but were facing extradition to Spain. | Jamil el-Banna and Omar Deghayes returned to the UK in December but were facing extradition to Spain. |
On arrival the men were held under European arrest warrants alleging they were part of an al-Qaeda cell in Spain. | On arrival the men were held under European arrest warrants alleging they were part of an al-Qaeda cell in Spain. |
Legal proceedings will formally end after a hearing at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court. | |
'Humane and sensible' | 'Humane and sensible' |
The Spanish authorities accused the men of being part of a cell linked to terrorists involved in the Madrid and Casablanca bombings. | The Spanish authorities accused the men of being part of a cell linked to terrorists involved in the Madrid and Casablanca bombings. |
Mr el-Banna, 45, from London, and Mr Deghayes, 38, of Brighton, East Sussex were tagged and placed under curfew following their release on bail. | Mr el-Banna, 45, from London, and Mr Deghayes, 38, of Brighton, East Sussex were tagged and placed under curfew following their release on bail. |
I'm delighted, I'm very happy and so is the whole family Omar Deghayes | |
Their curfews have now been lifted, according to the men's lawyer. | |
Clive Stafford Smith, founder of campaigning group Reprieve, who represented both men, said: "It is based on the fact that these guys have suffered enough. They have been psychologically scarred from what happened to them in Guantanamo and before. | Clive Stafford Smith, founder of campaigning group Reprieve, who represented both men, said: "It is based on the fact that these guys have suffered enough. They have been psychologically scarred from what happened to them in Guantanamo and before. |
"This is obviously a humane and sensible response from the Spanish authorities - albeit belated." | "This is obviously a humane and sensible response from the Spanish authorities - albeit belated." |
The pair's representative Gareth Peirce said: "It should have never, never happened. It caused immeasurable extra anguish for these men and their families. | The pair's representative Gareth Peirce said: "It should have never, never happened. It caused immeasurable extra anguish for these men and their families. |
"I can't think of any circumstances in which these men, emerging from a concentration camp, where they experienced torture, should be detained by any other state in the world. | "I can't think of any circumstances in which these men, emerging from a concentration camp, where they experienced torture, should be detained by any other state in the world. |
"This is the end of a sorry chapter in a very long sorry story." | "This is the end of a sorry chapter in a very long sorry story." |
Mr Deghayes told the BBC he was "very happy and really delighted". | |
"I wasn't expecting this good news," he said. | |
"I'm delighted, I'm very happy and so is the whole family." |
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