PM urged to press for Aamer release

Organisers from the Save Shaker Aamer Campaign urged PM David Cameron to confront the US president over its infamous Guantanamo prison camp — still open after 10 years despite Mr Obama’s order three years ago to close it.

Battersea man Mr Aamer has been held without charge in Guantanamo since 2002 after Afghan soldiers in Jalalabad abducted and took him to the US’s equally notorious Bagram airbase.

He says he was working in Afghanistan for a Saudi charity. Leaked files from Guantanamo administrators allege that he “received advanced terrorist training, indicated his willingness to become a martyr and served as a sub-commander of al-Qaida forces.”

But he has never been charged, while Mr Aamer’s lawyers say his jailers have no admissible evidence as many of his statements obtained through torture.

The campaign’s Joy Hurcombe said in a letter to the two leaders yesterday that the British government hadn’t pressed the US hard enough, despite publicly calling for Mr Aamer’s return.

Renewing Britain and the United States’ “special relationship” was the ideal moment to secure Mr Aamer’s freedom, she said.

“Shaker Aamer could come home today. He could get his life back. He could be restored to his home and family.”

She said to Mr Cameron: “We call on your government to respect Shaker Aamer’s wish to return to his family, all of whom are British citizens, honour his long-term right of return and indefinite leave to remain and act on your public statements that you are committed to Shaker Aamer’s release and return to the UK.”

rorym@peoples-press.com