Five Guantanamo Britons arrive in UK, four arrested

Five Britons jailed for more than two years at the US Guantanamo Bay base in Cuba arrived back in Britain this evening, landing…

Five Britons jailed for more than two years at the US Guantanamo Bay base in Cuba arrived back in Britain this evening, landing at a military airbase on the outskirts of London.

The men, held since late 2001 or early 2002 with more than 600 others suspected of fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan or supporting the al Qaeda network blamed for the September 11th, 2001 attacks, touched down at RAF Northolt at 7 p.m.

Police said four of the men were arrested under anti-terrorism laws on board the plane shortly after it landed.

The fifth man was detained at the airport for questioning.

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A convoy of police vehicles left the airbase about 40 minutes after the plane landed and headed to a central London police station where the men will be questioned.

The long detention of the Guantanamo captives without trial or access to lawyers has become a human rights cause celebre.

If British police decide there is no case against them under Britain's tough anti-terror laws, they may be freed in days.