Latest Channel 4 News:
Call for more debate on immigration
Boxing's giant-killer back home
Iraq passes key electoral law
Pray for the gunman, says chaplain
Fears grow as Ida picks up speed

Guantanamo man arrested in UK

Updated on 20 December 2007

By Channel 4 News

One of three British residents flown here from Guantanamo Bay last night is now in court fighting extradition to Spain, instead of being reunited with his family.

Omar Deghiyees, Abdenore Samore and Jamil el Banna were detained at Guantanamo Bay for more than four years without trial or charge.

They arrived in the uk late last night but their freedom short lived. Deghiyees and Samore were arrested on the plane under the Terrorism Act.

Jamil el-Banna was arrested this morning on a European arrest warrant - the police say the warrant was issued by the Spanish government and concerns terrorism-related offences. his lawyer says it's based on false evidence.

At the city of London magistrates' court this morning El-Banna appeared at an extradition hearing. It has also emerged that Deghiyees will appear at an extradition hearing there this afternoon - family members and supporters of both men criticised their treatment by the British Government: Jamil el-Banna is a Jordanian with refugee status in the UK. He was arrested in the Gambia in 2002, he has links to the Jordanian radical cleric Abu Qatada. Originally from Libya, he was given refugee status in the 1980s - he was reportedly arrested in Pakistan shortly after the fall of the Taliban in 2001.

Abdulnore Samore is an Algerian - his refugee status was awarded by the UK seven years ago. Reportedly arrested in the mountains between Pakistan and Afghanistan in 2001. He's also reported to have claimed that his captors forced him to confess that he'd had prior knowledge of the September 11th attacks.

The Spanish are believed to want to extradite Omar Deghayes because of a Chechen terrorist training video which purports to show Mr Deghiyees. But his lawyer says the video features a Saudi man who is now dead.

Zoe Conway reports

Send this article by email

More on this story

Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of external websites.


Watch the Latest Channel 4 News

Watch Channel 4 News when you want

Latest Law & order news

7-day catch-up

Watch Channel 4 News when you want to, from the last week.

Most watched

Most watched

Find out what's getting people clicking online this week.

Week in pictures

credit: Reuters

A selection of the best pictures from around the world.




Channel 4 © 2009. Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of external websites.