12/10/2006

Legal bid fails for Guantanamo Britons

Relatives of three British men being held in Guantanamo Bay have failed in their legal bid to force the government to press for their release.

The relatives of Bisher al Rawi, Jamil el-Banna and Omar Deghayes had argued that the men - who are originally from Iraq, Jordan and Libya, respectively - were entitled to live in the UK and, therefore, should be treated as British citizens.

However, in May, the High Court ruled that the government did not have to make a formal request to the US government for the release of the detainees.

The families' lawyer, Rabinder Singh QC, had argued that the detention of the three men was unlawful and that the British government's refusal to request their release was "legally unsustainable".

Mr Singh also claimed that there was evidence that the men had been tortured while being held at the US naval base in Cuba.

However, on Thursday, the Appeal Court upheld the High Court's decision.

(KMcA/SP)

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