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Guantanamo man arrives back in UK | Guantanamo man arrives back in UK |
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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. | |
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 Guantanamo Bay. | Foreign Secretary David Miliband said his release was the first step towards the goal of closing Guantanamo Bay. |
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 said he was neither physically nor mentally capable of facing the media on the moment of his arrival back to Britain. | Mr Mohamed 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. | "Before this ordeal, torture was an abstract word to me. I could never have imagined that I would be its victim. |
"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. |
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 | 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 |
"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." |
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." | "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." |
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. |
'Public safety' | 'Public safety' |
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." |
Legal charity Reprieve, which has represented Mr Mohamed, said he would be met by a doctor and his lawyers, as well as family and friends. | Legal charity Reprieve, which has represented Mr Mohamed, said he would be met by a doctor and his lawyers, as well as family and friends. |
Director Clive Stafford Smith said: "He is a victim who has suffered more than any human being should ever suffer. | Director Clive Stafford Smith 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." |
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. | |
I am so glad and so happy, more than words can express Zuhra MohamedSister of Binyam Mohamed Profile: Binyam Mohamed | I am so glad and so happy, more than words can express Zuhra MohamedSister of Binyam Mohamed Profile: Binyam Mohamed |
Asked what restrictions would be placed on Mr Mohamed, a spokesman for Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "Public safety is absolutely our top priority and the home secretary will take all appropriate measures to maintain national and international security. | Asked what restrictions would be placed on Mr Mohamed, a spokesman for Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "Public safety is absolutely our top priority and the home secretary will take all appropriate measures to maintain national and international security. |
"We do have a number of options at our disposal to protect the public from terrorism-related activity, but we are not in a position to comment on individual cases." | "We do have a number of options at our disposal to protect the public from terrorism-related activity, but we are not in a position to comment on individual cases." |
Complicity | Complicity |
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. |
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. |
FROM THE BBC WORLD SERVICE More from BBC World Service | FROM THE BBC WORLD SERVICE More from BBC World Service |
Hunger strike | Hunger strike |
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 when he arrives in the UK and will have to apply for leave to enter. | The Home Office said Mr Mohamed will be interviewed about his resident status when he arrives in the UK and will have to apply for leave to enter. |
He will be granted temporary admission in the interim, until a decision is made by the UK Borders Agency. | He will be granted temporary admission in the interim, until a decision is made by the UK Borders Agency. |