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| Guantanamo man arrives back in UK | Guantanamo man arrives back in UK |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A British resident detained at Guantanamo Bay for more than four years has arrived back in the UK. | A British resident detained at Guantanamo Bay for more than four years has arrived back in the UK. |
| Ethiopian-born Binyam Mohamed, 30, landed at RAF Northolt in London on Monday afternoon, accompanied by Metropolitan Police officers. | Ethiopian-born Binyam Mohamed, 30, landed at RAF Northolt in London on Monday afternoon, accompanied by Metropolitan Police officers. |
| Mr Mohamed says he was tortured while in custody on suspicion of terrorism. | Mr Mohamed says he was tortured while in custody on suspicion of terrorism. |
| He said in a statement the worst moment of his captivity was when he realised his alleged torturers were receiving material from UK intelligence agents. | He said in a statement the worst moment of his captivity was when he realised his alleged torturers were receiving material from UK intelligence agents. |
| Foreign Secretary David Miliband said his release was the first step towards the goal of closing down the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. | Foreign Secretary David Miliband said his release was the first step towards the goal of closing down the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. |
| Mr Mohamed said in a statement: "I have to say, more in sadness than in anger, that many have been complicit in my own horrors over the past seven years. | Mr Mohamed said in a statement: "I have to say, more in sadness than in anger, that many have been complicit in my own horrors over the past seven years. |
| "For myself, the very worst moment came when I realised in Morocco that the people who were torturing me were receiving questions and materials from British intelligence." | "For myself, the very worst moment came when I realised in Morocco that the people who were torturing me were receiving questions and materials from British intelligence." |
| 'Torture chambers' | 'Torture chambers' |
| Mr Mohamed was accompanied by a doctor during his flight and said he was neither physically nor mentally capable of facing the media on the moment of his arrival back to Britain. | Mr Mohamed was accompanied by a doctor during his flight and said he was neither physically nor mentally capable of facing the media on the moment of his arrival back to Britain. |
| "I have been through an experience that I never thought to encounter in my darkest nightmares. | "I have been through an experience that I never thought to encounter in my darkest nightmares. |
| "Before this ordeal, torture was an abstract word to me. I could never have imagined that I would be its victim. I am not asking for vengeance; only that the truth should be made known so that nobody in the future should have to endure what I have endured Binyam Mohamed Profile: Binyam MohamedBinyam Mohamed: statement in fullGuantanamo Britons at a glance | "Before this ordeal, torture was an abstract word to me. I could never have imagined that I would be its victim. I am not asking for vengeance; only that the truth should be made known so that nobody in the future should have to endure what I have endured Binyam Mohamed Profile: Binyam MohamedBinyam Mohamed: statement in fullGuantanamo Britons at a glance |
| "It is still difficult for me to believe that I was abducted, hauled from one country to the next, and tortured in medieval ways - all orchestrated by the United States government. | "It is still difficult for me to believe that I was abducted, hauled from one country to the next, and tortured in medieval ways - all orchestrated by the United States government. |
| "While I want to recover, and put it all as far in the past as I can, I also know I have an obligation to the people who still remain in those torture chambers. | "While I want to recover, and put it all as far in the past as I can, I also know I have an obligation to the people who still remain in those torture chambers. |
| "My own despair was greatest when I thought that everyone had abandoned me. I have a duty to make sure that nobody else is forgotten." | "My own despair was greatest when I thought that everyone had abandoned me. I have a duty to make sure that nobody else is forgotten." |
| Referring to his alleged period of torture in Morocco, Mr Mohamed said: "I have met with British intelligence in Pakistan. I had been open with them. Yet the very people who I had hoped would come to my rescue, I later realised, had allied themselves with my abusers." | Referring to his alleged period of torture in Morocco, Mr Mohamed said: "I have met with British intelligence in Pakistan. I had been open with them. Yet the very people who I had hoped would come to my rescue, I later realised, had allied themselves with my abusers." |
| He went on: "I am not asking for vengeance; only that the truth should be made known so that nobody in the future should have to endure what I have endured." | He went on: "I am not asking for vengeance; only that the truth should be made known so that nobody in the future should have to endure what I have endured." |
| 'Hard work' | 'Hard work' |
| Mr Miliband said he was pleased Mr Mohamed was returning. | Mr Miliband said he was pleased Mr Mohamed was returning. |
| "His release and return from Guantanamo Bay is the result of a number of years of very hard work by officials with him and with his team," he said. | "His release and return from Guantanamo Bay is the result of a number of years of very hard work by officials with him and with his team," he said. |
| "Obviously, the release of Binyam Mohamed is the first release from Guantanamo Bay since the election of President Obama. | "Obviously, the release of Binyam Mohamed is the first release from Guantanamo Bay since the election of President Obama. |
| "We very much welcome President Obama's commitment to close Guantanamo Bay and I see today's return of Binyam Mohamed as the first step towards that shared goal." | |
| Lawyer Clive Stafford-Smith reads a statement on Binyam Mohamed's behalf | |
| The UK attorney general is consulting the director of public prosecutions over whether to order a criminal investigation into the torture claims. | The UK attorney general is consulting the director of public prosecutions over whether to order a criminal investigation into the torture claims. |
| Mr Mohamed's sister Zuhra said: "I am so glad and so happy, more than words can express. | Mr Mohamed's sister Zuhra said: "I am so glad and so happy, more than words can express. |
| "I am so thankful for everything that was done for Binyam to make this day come true." | "I am so thankful for everything that was done for Binyam to make this day come true." |
| The Met Police said Mr Mohamed had been detained at RAF Northolt under border regulations, but had not been arrested. | The Met Police said Mr Mohamed had been detained at RAF Northolt under border regulations, but had not been arrested. |
| Clive Stafford Smith, director of legal charity Reprieve which represented Mr Mohamed, said: "He is a victim who has suffered more than any human being should ever suffer. | Clive Stafford Smith, director of legal charity Reprieve which represented Mr Mohamed, said: "He is a victim who has suffered more than any human being should ever suffer. |
| "He just wants to go somewhere very quiet and try to recover. Every moment that he is held compounds the abuse he has endured." | "He just wants to go somewhere very quiet and try to recover. Every moment that he is held compounds the abuse he has endured." |
| Public safety | Public safety |
| The BBC's home affairs correspondent Andy Tighe said it was unlikely Mr Mohamed would be arrested and taken to a high security prison, but he now would be put under some form of police surveillance. | The BBC's home affairs correspondent Andy Tighe said it was unlikely Mr Mohamed would be arrested and taken to a high security prison, but he now would be put under some form of police surveillance. |
| Gordon Brown refused to discuss the details of any restrictions on Mr Mohamed, but said: "We will do everything in our power to protect the security of people in our country and the home secretary will take whatever action is necessary." | Gordon Brown refused to discuss the details of any restrictions on Mr Mohamed, but said: "We will do everything in our power to protect the security of people in our country and the home secretary will take whatever action is necessary." |
| The US had accused Mr Mohamed of involvement in a plot to detonate a "dirty bomb" in America, but the charges were dropped in October. | The US had accused Mr Mohamed of involvement in a plot to detonate a "dirty bomb" in America, but the charges were dropped in October. |
| The US Department of Justice said in a statement on Monday that his release was "consistent with the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States and the interests of justice" | The US Department of Justice said in a statement on Monday that his release was "consistent with the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States and the interests of justice" |
| "The friendship and assistance of the international community is vitally important as we work to close Guantanamo, and we greatly appreciate the efforts of the British government to work with us on the transfer of Binyam Mohamed," Attorney General Eric Holder said. | "The friendship and assistance of the international community is vitally important as we work to close Guantanamo, and we greatly appreciate the efforts of the British government to work with us on the transfer of Binyam Mohamed," Attorney General Eric Holder said. |
| Mr Mohamed says he was tortured into falsely confessing to terrorism and accuses British MI5 officers of complicity in his abuse. | Mr Mohamed says he was tortured into falsely confessing to terrorism and accuses British MI5 officers of complicity in his abuse. |
| He alleges he was secretly flown from Pakistan to Morocco and tortured before being moved to Afghanistan and on to Guantanamo Bay. | He alleges he was secretly flown from Pakistan to Morocco and tortured before being moved to Afghanistan and on to Guantanamo Bay. |
| Mr Mohamed had lived in the UK from the age of 15, before being arrested in Pakistan in 2002. | Mr Mohamed had lived in the UK from the age of 15, before being arrested in Pakistan in 2002. |
| Earlier this year he went on a month-long hunger strike at Guantanamo and his legal team said he was "close to starvation". | Earlier this year he went on a month-long hunger strike at Guantanamo and his legal team said he was "close to starvation". |
| But last weekend he was declared well enough to travel back to the UK by a team of British officials who had visited him. | But last weekend he was declared well enough to travel back to the UK by a team of British officials who had visited him. |
| His lawyers insist he poses no risk to the UK. | His lawyers insist he poses no risk to the UK. |
| The Home Office said Mr Mohamed will be interviewed about his resident status and will have to apply for leave to enter. While a decision is pending, he will be granted temporary admission. | The Home Office said Mr Mohamed will be interviewed about his resident status and will have to apply for leave to enter. While a decision is pending, he will be granted temporary admission. |
| One other UK resident, Shaker Abdur-Raheem Aamer, remains in Guantanamo Bay after being detained in Afghanistan in 2001. Originally from Saudi Arabia, he had been living in London with his wife and children - who are all British citizens - since 1996. | One other UK resident, Shaker Abdur-Raheem Aamer, remains in Guantanamo Bay after being detained in Afghanistan in 2001. Originally from Saudi Arabia, he had been living in London with his wife and children - who are all British citizens - since 1996. |
| Two other Guantanamo inmates claim to have been living in the UK prior to their detention, but those claims are disputed. | Two other Guantanamo inmates claim to have been living in the UK prior to their detention, but those claims are disputed. |