Shaker Aamer, the last British resident held at Guantanamo Bay, has returned to the United Kingdom after he was finally released from the controversial prison.
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According to flight-tracking website FlightAware, a Gulfstream jet departed Guantanamo Bay at 11:30 pm local time (0330 GMT) and was due in London at 12:48 pm local time (1248 GMT). The plane taxied into a hangar and an ambulance was seen arriving and leaving the terminal building.
They said: “He achieved this by unimaginable, heroic, sustained courage, the strength of his character and of his faith being for years his only resource. He is free to be reunited with his family”, said Cameron’s official spokeswoman.
A succession of senior British politicians have raised the case with Washington, backed by human rights groups and justice campaigners.
Today’s transfer comes just one week after President Obama vetoed the 2016 defense authorization bill over provisions that would severely hamper his ability to close Guantanamo Bay.
Shaker Aamer, who was detained in Afghanistan in 2001, has been held for more than 13 years without being charged. Smith notes that Aamer had been cleared for release by the administration of President George W. Bush in June 2007. “Everybody is looking forward to seeing him, especially after all this time”.
Aamer, his family and his lawyers have always denied his involvement with al-Qaeda.
“It has been a long-standing government policy to secure Mr Aamer’s return to the UK”.
Aamer, a Saudi national who is married to a British national, was never charged with any crime and had been cleared for release by USA authorities in 2007 but was not freed. He said he was about to join them when he was detained.
During his time in captivity, Mr Aamer’s lawyers said he was subjected to torture, with beatings and sleep deprivation, and held in solitary confinement for 360 days.
He has never met his youngest son, who is now a teenager and was born the day Aamer was detained.
It is uncertain where Mr Aamer will be taken on arrival, but he has told his lawyers that he wishes to be given a full medical examination.
Rights goup Amnesty worldwide, which took up Aamer’s cause, called his detention “intolerable”.
Mr Aamer’s United States attorney and Strategic Director at Reprieve, Cori Crider, said: “We are, of course, delighted that Shaker is on his way back to his home and his family here in the UK”.
In a statement issued tonight, Mr Aamer said: “The reason I have been strong is because of the support of people so strongly devoted to the truth”.
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‘We want to thank all those who have been committed to helping Shaker, but we must all continue to press the authorities on both sides of the Atlantic to do as they promised.
