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11/01/2005
Four remaining Guantanamo Britons to be repatriated
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has confirmed that the last four Britons remaining in Guantanamo Bay will be returned to the UK within the "next few weeks".
Feroz Abbasi, Moazzam Begg, Jamaal Belmar and Martin Mubanga had been held in the Cuban camp, along with thousands of others alleged to be al-Qa'ida or Taliban fighters detained as part of the US-led 'War on Terror' campaign, which was launched in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Nine British citizens had originally been detained in Guantanamo Bay, but five of them were returned to the UK last March.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Straw confirmed that the government had been in "regular discussion" with the US authorities in order to "resolve the position" of the four men remaining in the camp.
The Foreign Secretary confirmed that the decision to return the men to the UK had followed "intensive and complex discussions" between himself, the Prime Minister and US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, regarding US security concerns. Mr Straw admitted that "valuable information" had been gained from the detainees at Guantanamo but added: "Two hundred indivduals have been released from Guantanamo Bay since their original detention. However, the US government believes that a number of those released have returned to terrorism, demonstrating the dilemma faced by the US in considering such releases."
The Foreign Secretary said that police would consider whether or not to arrest the four men under the Terrorism Act 2000, when they returned to the UK. He declined to give any further information, but stated that "every practical step will be taken by the relevant UK authorities to maintain national security and to protect public safety".
He added: "Throughout the period of detention of British nationals in Guantanamo Bay, the Government has sought to balance the need to safeguard the interests of Britons detained overseas with our duty to meet the threat from international terrorism."
Mr Straw also confirmed that the families of the men had been informed of their imminent return to the UK.
(KMcA/SP)
Feroz Abbasi, Moazzam Begg, Jamaal Belmar and Martin Mubanga had been held in the Cuban camp, along with thousands of others alleged to be al-Qa'ida or Taliban fighters detained as part of the US-led 'War on Terror' campaign, which was launched in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Nine British citizens had originally been detained in Guantanamo Bay, but five of them were returned to the UK last March.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Straw confirmed that the government had been in "regular discussion" with the US authorities in order to "resolve the position" of the four men remaining in the camp.
The Foreign Secretary confirmed that the decision to return the men to the UK had followed "intensive and complex discussions" between himself, the Prime Minister and US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, regarding US security concerns. Mr Straw admitted that "valuable information" had been gained from the detainees at Guantanamo but added: "Two hundred indivduals have been released from Guantanamo Bay since their original detention. However, the US government believes that a number of those released have returned to terrorism, demonstrating the dilemma faced by the US in considering such releases."
The Foreign Secretary said that police would consider whether or not to arrest the four men under the Terrorism Act 2000, when they returned to the UK. He declined to give any further information, but stated that "every practical step will be taken by the relevant UK authorities to maintain national security and to protect public safety".
He added: "Throughout the period of detention of British nationals in Guantanamo Bay, the Government has sought to balance the need to safeguard the interests of Britons detained overseas with our duty to meet the threat from international terrorism."
Mr Straw also confirmed that the families of the men had been informed of their imminent return to the UK.
(KMcA/SP)
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