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| Shaker Aamer: the father who spent his son's life in Guantánamo Bay | Shaker Aamer: the father who spent his son's life in Guantánamo Bay |
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| Shaker Aamer arrived in Guantánamo Bay 13 years ago on the day his youngest son Faris was born. | Shaker Aamer arrived in Guantánamo Bay 13 years ago on the day his youngest son Faris was born. |
| He had been picked up in Afghanistan in 2001 where the US alleges he was fighting for al-Qaida in the Tora Bora cave complex. | He had been picked up in Afghanistan in 2001 where the US alleges he was fighting for al-Qaida in the Tora Bora cave complex. |
| Aamer has always denied any allegation he was involved in terrorism and has never faced any charges. He says he was carrying out humanitarian aid work when he was picked up by bounty hunters and passed to US forces. | Aamer has always denied any allegation he was involved in terrorism and has never faced any charges. He says he was carrying out humanitarian aid work when he was picked up by bounty hunters and passed to US forces. |
| Aamer, 48, was born in Saudi Arabia and settled in the UK in the mid 1990s where he married his British wife, Zin Siddique. Before that he lived and studied in the US and acted as a translator for US personnel during the first Gulf War. After coming to the UK he was granted indefinite leave to remain and was applying for British citizenship when he was captured. | Aamer, 48, was born in Saudi Arabia and settled in the UK in the mid 1990s where he married his British wife, Zin Siddique. Before that he lived and studied in the US and acted as a translator for US personnel during the first Gulf War. After coming to the UK he was granted indefinite leave to remain and was applying for British citizenship when he was captured. |
| Aamer took his family to Afghanistan soon after the terrorist attacks on the US in 2001. He says he was working for an Islamic charity. The US insists he was a senior terrorist with links to top ranking al-Qaida figures including its former leader Osama bin Laden. | Aamer took his family to Afghanistan soon after the terrorist attacks on the US in 2001. He says he was working for an Islamic charity. The US insists he was a senior terrorist with links to top ranking al-Qaida figures including its former leader Osama bin Laden. |
| After being passed to US forces, he was held first at Bagram air force base near Kabul. According to his lawyers he was forced to stay awake for nine days, denied food, doused in freezing water and made to stand on concrete in the winter for 16 hours. On one occasion, a British intelligence officer was allegedly in the room when Aamer’s head was slammed into a wall. His lawyers say he was also present, along with British agents, when Ibn al-Sheikh al-Libi was tortured at Bagram into alleging that Saddam Hussein was training al-Qaida terrorists – bogus claims George Bush and former secretary of state Colin Powell used to help justify the invasion of Iraq. | After being passed to US forces, he was held first at Bagram air force base near Kabul. According to his lawyers he was forced to stay awake for nine days, denied food, doused in freezing water and made to stand on concrete in the winter for 16 hours. On one occasion, a British intelligence officer was allegedly in the room when Aamer’s head was slammed into a wall. His lawyers say he was also present, along with British agents, when Ibn al-Sheikh al-Libi was tortured at Bagram into alleging that Saddam Hussein was training al-Qaida terrorists – bogus claims George Bush and former secretary of state Colin Powell used to help justify the invasion of Iraq. |
| Aamer told his lawyers he had made false confessions to end his torture. But the US military classified him as a threat, claiming he was a “member of al-Qaida tied to the European support network” and a “close associate” of Bin Laden. | Aamer told his lawyers he had made false confessions to end his torture. But the US military classified him as a threat, claiming he was a “member of al-Qaida tied to the European support network” and a “close associate” of Bin Laden. |
| In February 2002 Aamer was transferred to Guantánamo Bay with the prisoner number 239. He remained there for the next 13 years, becoming the last British resident to be held there. | In February 2002 Aamer was transferred to Guantánamo Bay with the prisoner number 239. He remained there for the next 13 years, becoming the last British resident to be held there. |
| His legal team say he was regularly abused and spent a large amount of time in solitary confinement and on hunger strike. He is widely reported to have become a leader among the detainees in the camp, standing up for their rights and organising protests and hunger strikes. | His legal team say he was regularly abused and spent a large amount of time in solitary confinement and on hunger strike. He is widely reported to have become a leader among the detainees in the camp, standing up for their rights and organising protests and hunger strikes. |
| In 2007 the US dropped any case against him and he was cleared for release. However he has remained locked up, with his health deteriorating. | In 2007 the US dropped any case against him and he was cleared for release. However he has remained locked up, with his health deteriorating. |
| Political pressure has had little impact. Shortly after the case against him was dropped the UK government asked Washington to let him out to return to his family. Two years later a second US tribunal approved his release – but again nothing happened. Critics suggest both US and UK governments have been reluctant to grant his release for fear that his testimony could embarrass both administrations. | Political pressure has had little impact. Shortly after the case against him was dropped the UK government asked Washington to let him out to return to his family. Two years later a second US tribunal approved his release – but again nothing happened. Critics suggest both US and UK governments have been reluctant to grant his release for fear that his testimony could embarrass both administrations. |
| A succession of senior British politicians have raised the case with Washington, backed by human rights groups and justice campaigners. Earlier this year, David Cameron, the British prime minister, personally raised the case again with President Obama. | A succession of senior British politicians have raised the case with Washington, backed by human rights groups and justice campaigners. Earlier this year, David Cameron, the British prime minister, personally raised the case again with President Obama. |
| With his health deteriorating and the clamour for his release growing, the US announced Aamer would be freed in September. A month later – 13 years and eight months after he first arrived at Guantánamo Bay – he was put on a plane back to the UK. | |
| After being questioned by UK security officials and medically and psychiatrically assessed, it is thought Aamer will be reunited first with his wife and then with his four children – including 13-year-old Faris, who he has never met. | After being questioned by UK security officials and medically and psychiatrically assessed, it is thought Aamer will be reunited first with his wife and then with his four children – including 13-year-old Faris, who he has never met. |