Leading article: Guantanamo's last Briton

Thursday 18 August 2011 00:00 BST
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As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, so too does the 10th anniversary, in December, of Shaker Aamer's incarceration in Guantanamo. All other Britons – full citizens and legal residents alike – have been returned to this country. Only Aamer remains, uncharged and untried. He is reported to be on hunger strike.

Despite many official British requests, there is still no clarity from the US authorities about when he might be tried or released, or even about the accusations against him. If, as has been mooted, the allegations are that he was helping the Taliban, 10 years on, they belong to a bygone age. New efforts must be made to secure his return and end this sorry chapter in transatlantic relations.

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