Former Guantanamo Bay detainee Omar Deghayes thanked The Argus for its campaign for his release as he returned home to Brighton.

The Argus launched its Justice for Omar campaign, which has called for him to be released or put on trial.

According to The Argus, Omar, from Saltdean, should get a fair trial instead of indefinite detention. He is not a UK national but had been allowed to remain in the UK prior to being taken prisoner by US forces in their war on terror while in Afghanistan in 2002.

He and his family were granted asylum by the Government nearly 20 years ago following the murder of his trade unionist father in Libya.

He told the paper: "I'm so pleased with everything The Argus and the campaign has done for me.

"I am very grateful to everybody. I would have been happier if everybody in Guantanamo were released and that ugly, bad place was closed down if not demolished.

"I need some rest but I will be very happy to speak to everybody in the media to help other people to be released."

Argus editor Michael Beard wrote in a letter to the US State Department earlier this year: "The Argus newspaper has campaigned for justice for Mr Deghayes and his family.

"He may have charges to answer. If so he should be dealt with according to the rule of law."

He said that Deghayes might be innocent, which would make his indefinite detention in direct violation of the Geneva Convention.

Omar was flown back from the controversial US detention camp, in Cuba, on Wednesday with fellow detainees Jamil el-Banna and Abdennour Samuer.

The 38-year-old later appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court, in central London, after being arrested under a European warrant issued on behalf of Spain.

It is alleged that he went to Spain and hid in the Madrid flat of a man later convicted of involvement in the Casablanca bombing. It is also alleged that he associated with one of the men involved in the Madrid bombing.

His defence team insist he was a victim of mistaken identity.

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