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| Family welcomes Cuba camp release | Family welcomes Cuba camp release |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The family of a British resident detained at Guantanamo Bay have said news of his imminent release has ended five years of misery and worry. | The family of a British resident detained at Guantanamo Bay have said news of his imminent release has ended five years of misery and worry. |
| But Omar Deghayes's brother, Abubaker, said he would not celebrate properly until they had been reunited. | But Omar Deghayes's brother, Abubaker, said he would not celebrate properly until they had been reunited. |
| Scotland Yard refused to say whether Mr Deghayes and two other detainees, Jamil el-Banna and Abdenour Samuer, would be arrested on their return to the UK. | Scotland Yard refused to say whether Mr Deghayes and two other detainees, Jamil el-Banna and Abdenour Samuer, would be arrested on their return to the UK. |
| The Home Office says it is committed to protecting national security. | The Home Office says it is committed to protecting national security. |
| 'Mistaken identity' | 'Mistaken identity' |
| A fourth British resident is also to be released. Shaker Abdur-Raheem Aamer will go to his native Saudi Arabia. | A fourth British resident is also to be released. Shaker Abdur-Raheem Aamer will go to his native Saudi Arabia. |
| But a fifth, Ethiopian Binyam Mohammed al Habashi, will remain in detention at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. | But a fifth, Ethiopian Binyam Mohammed al Habashi, will remain in detention at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. |
| I'm very grateful and thankful again to this country for bailing us out a second time - the first was when we arrived as refugees Abubaker Deghayes class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7134529.stm">Brother's caution over news | |
| Omar Deghayes, a Libyan refugee who had been living in Brighton since 1986, was arrested in Pakistan shortly after the fall of the Taleban, and transferred to Cuba. | Omar Deghayes, a Libyan refugee who had been living in Brighton since 1986, was arrested in Pakistan shortly after the fall of the Taleban, and transferred to Cuba. |
| He was accused of committing terrorist acts against the United States, but his lawyer said it was a case of mistaken identity. | He was accused of committing terrorist acts against the United States, but his lawyer said it was a case of mistaken identity. |
| His brother told BBC News: "It's been a terribly difficult five years of misery, worry and stress. | His brother told BBC News: "It's been a terribly difficult five years of misery, worry and stress. |
| "We had no idea from one day to the other what's happening and no way of contacting Omar and no way of speaking to him. | "We had no idea from one day to the other what's happening and no way of contacting Omar and no way of speaking to him. |
| "I'm very grateful and thankful again to this country for bailing us out a second time - the first was when we arrived as refugees." | "I'm very grateful and thankful again to this country for bailing us out a second time - the first was when we arrived as refugees." |
| THE FIVE DETAINEES Omar Deghayes, Libyan with refugee statusShaker Abdur-Raheem Aamer, Saudi Arabian granted indefinite leave to remainJamil el-Banna, Jordanian with refugee status Binyam Mohammed al Habashi, Ethiopian asylum seekerAbdulnour Sameur, Algerian with leave to remain Profile: Five detainees | THE FIVE DETAINEES Omar Deghayes, Libyan with refugee statusShaker Abdur-Raheem Aamer, Saudi Arabian granted indefinite leave to remainJamil el-Banna, Jordanian with refugee status Binyam Mohammed al Habashi, Ethiopian asylum seekerAbdulnour Sameur, Algerian with leave to remain Profile: Five detainees |
| He also spoke of his concerns about how his brother, a trained lawyer, would get over five years of "torture and misery". | He also spoke of his concerns about how his brother, a trained lawyer, would get over five years of "torture and misery". |
| Family and supporters of Mr Deghayes in Brighton have fought a high-profile campaign for his release. | Family and supporters of Mr Deghayes in Brighton have fought a high-profile campaign for his release. |
| In August, the UK government first requested the release of the men, having previously refused to intervene as they were not British citizens. | In August, the UK government first requested the release of the men, having previously refused to intervene as they were not British citizens. |
| British and US authorities have been in intensive negotiations about the men's return over the past few months, despite the Pentagon insisting the men are all dangerous. | British and US authorities have been in intensive negotiations about the men's return over the past few months, despite the Pentagon insisting the men are all dangerous. |
| The US is seeking reassurances that they will not pose any security threat. | The US is seeking reassurances that they will not pose any security threat. |
| Combat training | Combat training |
| The Americans accuse Mr el-Banna of being a prominent al-Qaeda recruiter and financier and Algerian Mr Sameur of receiving combat training in Afghanistan. | The Americans accuse Mr el-Banna of being a prominent al-Qaeda recruiter and financier and Algerian Mr Sameur of receiving combat training in Afghanistan. |
| The UK government has not confirmed the men are to be released, but an official announcement is expected in the next few weeks. | The UK government has not confirmed the men are to be released, but an official announcement is expected in the next few weeks. |
| The Home Office said: "The home secretary and the government are foremost fully committed to protecting the national security of the UK. | The Home Office said: "The home secretary and the government are foremost fully committed to protecting the national security of the UK. |
| "It would be inappropriate to comment on any individual security measures that may be necessary. | "It would be inappropriate to comment on any individual security measures that may be necessary. |
| The Americans have not actually insisted we take these people, this is a voluntary action on the part of the UK Dame Pauline Neville-Jones, shadow security minister | The Americans have not actually insisted we take these people, this is a voluntary action on the part of the UK Dame Pauline Neville-Jones, shadow security minister |
| "Should individuals be returned to the UK, the same security considerations would apply to them as would apply to any other foreign national in this country." | "Should individuals be returned to the UK, the same security considerations would apply to them as would apply to any other foreign national in this country." |
| Shadow security minister Dame Pauline Neville-Jones said the government needed to be more upfront about what was happening. | Shadow security minister Dame Pauline Neville-Jones said the government needed to be more upfront about what was happening. |
| "The Americans have not actually insisted we take these people, this is a voluntary action on the part of the UK and the government actually started this process last August, so they must know what they are going to do next and I do think they need to tell us rather than leave us to speculate." | "The Americans have not actually insisted we take these people, this is a voluntary action on the part of the UK and the government actually started this process last August, so they must know what they are going to do next and I do think they need to tell us rather than leave us to speculate." |
| Last year the Court of Appeal upheld the government's decision not to request the return of non-British nationals because the US said it would not negotiate with third countries. | Last year the Court of Appeal upheld the government's decision not to request the return of non-British nationals because the US said it would not negotiate with third countries. |
| The Foreign Office also said such a move would be counterproductive to its aim of securing the closure of Guantanamo. | The Foreign Office also said such a move would be counterproductive to its aim of securing the closure of Guantanamo. |
| The foreign secretary and the home secretary said they requested the release of the men because of steps taken by the US government towards shutting down the detention facility. | The foreign secretary and the home secretary said they requested the release of the men because of steps taken by the US government towards shutting down the detention facility. |
| The government said all British nationals had been released from Guantanamo by January 2005. | The government said all British nationals had been released from Guantanamo by January 2005. |
| Just over 300 prisoners are held at the facility, set up at a US naval base in Cuba after the invasion of Afghanistan in early 2002. | Just over 300 prisoners are held at the facility, set up at a US naval base in Cuba after the invasion of Afghanistan in early 2002. |
| The US has argued that foreign nationals captured and detained outside the US have no recognisable constitutional rights. | The US has argued that foreign nationals captured and detained outside the US have no recognisable constitutional rights. |