Release
On August 7, 2007 the United Kingdom government requested the release of Jamil el-Banna and four other men who had been legal British residents without being British citizens. The UK government warned that the negotiations might take months.
Jamil el-Banna was released from Guantanemo Bay on 18 November 2007 and flown back to Britain. On his return, he was detained under port and border controls and questioned. On 19 November he was arrested under a Spanish extradition warrant. On 20 December he was released on bail of £50,000, part of which was put up by actress Vanessa Redgrave; conditions of his bail include observing a curfew and wearing an electronic tag.
On his return, El-Banna and Omar Deghayes were arrested and questioned, before appearing in court on a Spanish extradition warrant. He was freed on bail on 20 December, conditions of which include obeying a curfew and wearing an electronic tag.
On Thursday March 6, 2008 Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon dropped the extradition request on humanitarian grounds. Garzon based his decision on a medical examination made public on February 12, 2008. The report said El Banna suffered from: "post-traumatic stress syndrome, severe depression and suicidal tendencies. Garzon ruled the two men's mental health had deteriorated so badly it would be cruel to prosecute them.
Read more about this topic: Jamil El Banna
Famous quotes containing the word release:
“The shallow consider liberty a release from all law, from every constraint. The wise man sees in it, on the contrary, the potent Law of Laws.”
—Walt Whitman (1819–1892)
“The near touch of death may be a release into life; if only it will break the egoistic will, and release that other flow.”
—D.H. (David Herbert)
“If I were to be taken hostage, I would not plead for release nor would I want my government to be blackmailed. I think certain government officials, industrialists and celebrated persons should make it clear they are prepared to be sacrificed if taken hostage. If that were done, what gain would there be for terrorists in taking hostages?”
—Margaret Mead (1901–1978)