Ex-Guantanamo prisoners allowed home

Three British Guantanamo Bay detainees who were arrested in the UK after returning from the Cuban detention centre have been released.

Jamil el-Banna, 45, and Omar Deghayes, 38, were freed on £50,000 bail while Abdennour Samuer was released without charge following appearances at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London.

They were earlier arrested under a European warrant alleging terrorist-related offences issued on behalf of the Spanish authorities.

El-Banna looked exhausted and far older than his 45 years, with a very long straggly beard, a moustache and long grey hair.

After being released he said: "Thank you very much everybody, my solicitor, the British people, the British Government for your help."

The father-of-five from Dollis Hill in northwest London will be able to see his family for the first time in five years. He has a daughter who was born while he was in detention.

El-Banna was granted bail under strict conditions, meaning he must stay at his home address, obey a curfew and be electronically tagged.

His £50,000 surety was provided by human rights campaigner Vanessa Redgrave and two other supporters. El-Banna must return to court on January 10.

Spain requested his extradition so that he could stand trial to face allegations that he was part of an al-Qaeda cell operating there, called the Islamic Alliance.

El-Banna, a Palestinian UK resident, was picked up in November 2002 while on a business trip to Gambia.

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