Prisoner 239: Who Is Shaker Aamer?

Seized by bounty hunters, allegedly beaten by intelligence officers, then held without charge for more than a decade.

Charity worker Shaker Aamer's ordeal began in late 2001, when he was captured in Afghanistan and handed over to US forces.

He was suspected of leading a unit of fighters in the country, for which his family was said to have been regularly paid by Osama bin Laden. Years later the Bush administration would admit that it had no evidence against him.

The weakness of the case was never formally tested, because he was never charged with any wrongdoing, and received no trial.

Mr Aamer grew up in Medina in Saudi Arabia, and left the country aged 17.

After spells in the US, Europe and the Middle East - including working as a translator for the US during the Gulf War - he settled in the UK.

He married British woman Zin Siddique in 1997, and they have four children, including one - born during his incarceration - who he has never met.

The child, a boy named Faris, is now a teenager.

He took his family to Afghanistan in 2001 where he was working for an Islamic charity until his capture soon after the US invasion.

After falling into US hands, he was transported to the infamous Guantanamo Bay complex in 2002 where he has been known as prisoner 239 ever since.

He always denied being involved in terrorist activity, but claims that he was visited by British intelligence officers who gave him two choices: agree to spy on suspected jihadists in the UK, or remain in US custody.

He claims that during the meeting his head was grabbed and repeatedly smashed against a wall. "They were shouting that they would kill me or I would die," he said.

He became a Guantanamo activist, speaking up for prisoner welfare and negotiating with camp commanders over prison conditions.

In 2005 he lost half of his weight after organising and taking part in a hunger strike. Guantanamo Bay staff eventually force fed him using nasal tubes to keep him alive.

In 2011 his lawyer Brent Mickum claimed Shaker was repeatedly beaten before their meetings.

UK politicians and celebrities have campaigned for his release for years. Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle donated £50,000 to his legal fund for actions against MI6, and later took part in a hunger strike.

Meanwhile Labour's shadow chancellor John McDonnell called the case "one of the worst cases of a miscarriage of justice" in 30 years.

He's now free, but his legal team say it could take many years - or even a lifetime - for him to make any significant recovery.