Theres no way that these men should be allowed back to the UK. It beggars belief that our government are putting these mens interests above the innocent citizens of this country. Why? They are not UK nationals, they just used to reside here, using this country as a staging post as a safe sanctuary for them to go from & come back to whilst doing whatever theyve been up to. They were caught in places in the world where our troops were putting their lives at risk in order to protect us. Its not rocket science to work out why these men were in these places. The easy way out for the Americans would be just to release them from Guatanimo but they are saying they are still dangerous. This country will lose track of them if they return here like they have with a number of these peoples brothers who were on control orders. They could go on to kill people in this country or our troops abroad. If they are returned they couldnt even be tried as traitors as theyre not British. We owe them nothing

Lynda Plum, London, england

You could not make this up. This amounts to negligence via idealogical lunacy.

Well, .Politicians are always squawking about accountability...(when it comes to others of course) ,,So lets see some accountability for them .

Should any of these men , be released and then commit atrocities , lets see Messrs Miliband and Smith in the dock with them....as aiding and abetting terrorists. .

How have we been so stupid as to allow this cretinous government to remain in office?

N Wilson, bourne, lincs

The UK can have these critters back when it brings back hanging, drawing and quartering as a fit punishment for such.

James Pawlak, Milwaukee, USA

As Jason Scrutton suggests, let us appease the legal left. What then remains? It must be "the majority of British people" (see brian's mc
alister's reply). Well, I never! Here is that well known argument again.
In other language it is read as "большинство". So, this is Bolsheviks.
Now already in Britain. Horrors! Where to go to?

Cyrill, Moscow, Russia

"These people are all innocent until proven guilty. Let's see the proof they have done anything wrong, let it go to trial. IAnd if there isn't any proof they should be free. But I suspect there is no proof.

Michael Debham, Bedford, "

A voice of reason! Thank you.

Those who have (rightly) condemned fanatics for wanting to destroy Western society and its values are showing great hypocrisy. If there's no evidence against these men - and they've not faced trial - , what are you basing your support for their internment on? Not any values that I would want to represent this country's ideals, that's for sure.

Gareth Quested, Surrey, England

The new Home secretary Smith has absolutely no experience at being able to arrange control ot these sum bags and as for wimp Miliband god help the country with him as foreign minister, he even thinks the new treaty with the EU will not change anything in Britain.

Barry Holmes, Christchurch, New Zealand

Shows how desperate Mr Brown is for votes- that's 5 in the bag.

Doug, Glasgow,

The British government in it's total stupidity has formally asked for terrorist non citizens to be returned to the UK and the US government will oblidge the request. Nice one!! The question has to be asked-What now? Has the collective people and more directly the government of the UK lost their bloody mind?? Both of our countries have lost so much treasure with our people on 9/11 and 7/7 not to mention all our men and women in the middle east. These people want to end civilized societies as we know them. In the name of political correctness the UK government wants to re-import these thugs and murderers-It will be a sad day when they are returned to plot their next vicious attack against civlized people. All I can say is GOOD LUCK and it is my hope that they are not able to kill or injure too many of your women or children in the name of Allah.

Dave Pearson, Rochester, MN USA

They are being retuned to the UK for a simple reason: they are Muslims and thus their well-being is paramount, even at the expense of that of the ‘kuffr’. What does our safety matter when a Muslim, however unsavoury, is being inconvenienced, possibly even harmed? Wake up to the new reality! Muslims first, the more insufferable the better, and then the rest of us!

Tom, Salisbury, England

Why would anyone do this ? Why would anyone commit such sheer mindless unmitigated stupidity. It utterly defies belief . Still I suppose that ridiculously irresponsible mob at so called "Civil Liberty" and their fellow travellers will be on champagne cocktails for the next few weeks . I just can't imagine who is daft enough to fund those people.

Murdo, Aberdeen, UK

I call upon the democratic majority forces in Britain to rise up and deliver an individual and collective ultimatum to this minority Brown dictatorship: - obey the will of the democratic majority or its confrontation between us, the democratic majority, and you, the undemocratic minority dictatorship. Do you feel lucky, liberals? There's more of us than you. A lot more.

We, the democratic majority, can and must enforce the will of the democratic majority in every institutional dictatorship throughout Britain - the BBC, the Metropolitian Police, the armed forces, the High Courts, the schools, the universities, etc. Democratism - the rule of the democratic majority - NOW!

Terry, London, Great Britain

We had no obligation to accept these extremists in the first case.
Now that they have been shown to be enemy combatants, they and their substantial families should be sent back to their counties of origin.

With at least 4 million unemployed Britons, we are sleepwalking into an Ulster type civil war with Islamists having already thrown the first bombs

M. Bright

Bracknell

martin bright, Bracknell,

Bring em back so they can cost us a fortune in resources and
then have a go at killing us....the liberal left are just as
dangerous

R brady, wallington, england

I, for one, am keen to welcome back these model citizens back into the country. We missed you boys!

Jerry , Harrogate, N. Yorks

21st century New Labour Brown speak - We want the foreign riffraff terrorists back who left this country and dumped their families over here on benefits so that they could go and kill our troops.
p.s. The loyal Iraqi interpreters who risked their lives supporting our troops can get lost.

Does this government have a brain cell left functioning? - I doubt it.

philip, Ipswich,

I don't see why the British Government cannot recind citizenship granted and deport them to their country of origin if any of them present a problem on returning to British jurisdiction. What is wrong with passing a law that enables us to this on security grounds alone?

John P Green, Wokingham, Berks

Sir,
Guilty until proven innocent?

Who exactly is winning the GWOT war of values?

SC, London, United Kingdom

Suggest you view "The Road to Guantanamo" before posting an opinion on this topic. When shown at the Press Club in Tokyo last year a lot of minds where changed.

Andrew Milner, Yokohama, Kanagawa

How much is this going to cost us ?

And I assume that we have supported the dependants and will continue to do so

Ah well --- what else have got to spend our money on -- flood victims?

tony, paris, france

Why on earth do we want these people back, they are no use to us and probably a threat. to our security.
If they were here for reasons of assylum, why were they abroad when they were captured.
Either leave them where they are or leave it for their countries of origin to claim them.
We have enough problems without deliberately and knowingly re-importing them.

WASEEM HERETICUS, Cambridge, ENGLAND

We know that two of the men held by the US, including the one recently released, where Mi5 helpers and they were betrayed by Mi5 colleagues so scare-mongering should include the fact that we don't know who's up to what, esp in the higher echelons of this establishment. Note the clear reports coming out of the F&M scare compared to Hutton, de Menezes etc. I'm more afraid of the implications of the erosion of civil liberties and extra-judicial activities all put in place to cover the illegal wars.

simonS, Bolton,

Once again it is Party before country.When the detainees return to the U.K. thet will be feted by civil liberty groups,probably funded,by the tax payer to sue the U.S government and allowed numerous opportunities to tell just their versions of why they were in Afghanistan etc.Meanwhile,I presume,claiming all the relevant benefits from this mad,mad country of ours.But none of this will matter because Brown has made the hard left of the Labour party and a large proportion of the ethnic population happy.

robin Hart, sutton coldfield,

Mark Bernadiner....you don't know what you're talking about mate. Not sure where you're coming from with the terrorists being sent to Israel . Britain fought Israeli terrorists just after the second World War...some of us remember the two Sgt. Military Policeman being murdered, having their bodies strung up and booby-trapped. We've dealt with terrorism for decades now .... the IRA come straight to mind...while we were hunting them, YOU lot were passing them money and arms with your so called Noraid...What were you doing... defending your rights???...You certainly weren't crying out for peace. We certainly need to be sure though that these Guantanomo prisoners are of no threat....but take that corncob from where the sun don't shine you'll live happier..

kirk, Rotherham, UK

These men have been detained for many years, and in all that time, no evidence that would show that they have committed any offence has been openly presented. Only one of them has actually been charged with any offence, and his case was thrown out by the US supreme court. Three of them have been classified as "Illegal enemy combatants" by military tribunals in which much of the evidence is declared to be "classified" and therefore not available to the inmate or his defence, and the inmate may only call witnesses where the tribunal considers it relevant (to the evidence that is kept from the accused). These people are, like many Guatanamo inmates, almost certainly innocent and since the government has previously concluded that they are acceptable for refugee status, It is only right that they should be released to Britain. If they have committed any offence in British law then they should be prosecuted in the normal way. If found guilty, deport them. If not, leave them alone.

Jim, Leicester,

Loony lefties........this Government are the biggest threat to UK security...well done!!

KG, Eastbourne, Sussex

well done gordon, when these guys decide to blow up a bus or train you'll be responsible travelling to afghanistan and being captured on a battle field tends to imply that you're not there sightseeing. Moreover, it was against foreign office advice. anyone who suggests otherwise probably runs the british government. I say relinquish any responsibility for these types and let them return to their country of origin. they are not british.

Jack Donovan, Londonistan,

I agree.

Matthew Conway, Heywood, Manchester, UK

This pathetic government just keeps getting better! They have created this bloody mess, continually import supporters of jihad and sharia law (any decent is racist!) and NOW, they are bringing these five NON British subjects into this country. Of course that wreacted man, Goldsmith, who signed British boys up to an illegal war thinks we have to "do the right thing" which means protect their "rights" by not deporting them and their families back to their countries of origin.
Who is protetcting OUR rights or the rights of young British squaddies. I just despise this governemnt.

Mrs J Henley, Wocester, UK

One trusts that, once these men are back in England, the Government will facilitate the efforts of any of them who might wish to blow up the indigenous population, so as to avoid any suggestion that their human rights are not fully respected.

Andrew, Hong Kong,

Clive Stafford-Smith, said: “Respect for human rights and justice are our first and best protection against terrorism.”

What kind of crack do these Luddites smoke? Does this double-barrelled pin-head not realise 9/11 preceeded Guantanamo? Does he think "control orders" for dangerous muslim terrorists are the answer? Does he not know that other "control order" recipients have fled the country?

Grant, New York, USA

"...Sadly they will have to accept the fact that they dont have the right to enjoy a free press or media and that anything they watch on TV has been censored. I suppose they wouldn't be bothered by the fact that their wives can't vote of course, or drive a car .. or do anything in fact ...except wander around with a tent on their heads..." andy, Lyon, France

I bet that still beats getting beaten up, totured and sexually degraded in an internationally illegal POW camp whilst not having been found guilty or even tried of any crime. Such a shame (but not a surprise) that many of the HYSers here are ignorant of the facts and rely on biased disinformation for their 'knowledge' of current affairs.

Rod Munch, Northampton, UK

Mr - Mark Bernadiner your remarks are inflammatory and careless - people who live in glass houses should NEVER throw stones - learn it and live by it !

J Roughton, barcelona, spain

I totally agree with Michael Debham's comments and find it quite unbelievable that anyone can think it is reasonable to 'kidnap' people and hold them without trial for considerable periods of time.

Caro Leroy, Hastings, UK

What this government a Secret services will do to keep themselves in a job!
At our cost.
Leave them there where they deserve to be.

Dave Madley, Alicante, Spain

Brian your leaders couldn't care less because they surely know that in case of a terrorist act, committed by any of these people they try to have released, they won't be affected.
Britain is slowly but surely transforming itself into a socialist country. In those societies everybody is welcomed to come and join the natives no matter who they are or what they do.

Richard L, Hannover, FRG

well given the British govt.'s provision of safe-haven for loyalist terrorists in Ulster, surley they should extend the same courtesy for Islamic extremists, The British govt. could estblish an Islamic state in ther east end of London just as they established a Protestant state in the North of Ireland.

conal duffy, derry , ireland

Once again we have a demonstration of the stupidity
of the two clowns Miliband and Smith. We have just had a break out from a so called secure prison
housing crimes awaiting deportation and we know all
the other terrorists that are supposed to be under
control go a come where they like. I keep asking the question where does Britain dig up all these incompetent goons from.

Barry Holmes, Christchurch, New Zealand

Mr Bernadiner.

Does the phrase 'pot kettle and black' ring any bells to you??

Jason Scrutton, London,

In appeasing the legal left, Brown has brought enemy combatants into Britain. The Brownie points thus gained might look worthless once the media and liberal lawyers get going once these men arrive back in the UK, not only with the Guantanamo story, but also with likely deportation attempts as any US evidence will be contested as being obtained under torture.

michael clarke, Leningrad, uk

These people are all innocent until proven guilty. Let's see the proof they have done anything wrong, let it go to trial. IAnd if there isn't any proof they should be free. But I suspect there is no proof.

Michael Debham, Bedford,

Mr McAlister, could you please explain to me when it became a crime in any of the jurisdictions that make up the UK for a UK resident (or national, for that matter) to travel to Afghanistan, Pakistan or Iraq? And on what basis can the fact (if it be so) that the majority of people would prefer to see these five men rot in Gtmo forever provide good reason for that occurring? The majority of Germans were happy to see Jews stripped of their civil rights and liberties by the Nazis. Did that make the Nazis' actions right?

David Simpson, London,

Actually Brian McAlister, the majority of intelligent Britain are fully aware that Guantanamo Bay contravenes the Geneva Convention on prisoners of war and that the majority of prisoners held there have yet to receive any kind of trial and many never will.

Rod Munch, Northampton, UK

We can't control our borders, we have no idea of the number of illegal immigrants and now we ask for the return of those who, to say the least, are highly suspect and will place further strain on our inadequate surveillance system.
If Brown can take a stand on this issue why can't he stop the immigration process until he has sorted out the mess in which we have been placed by the Labour party?
There may not be many true 'lefties' left in the successor government, but it's high time that Brown took a grip on things and reduced the glaring examples of maladministration and incompetence currently being exhibited.
Perhaps, as a Scot, elected by a Scottish constituency, he is playing some double handed game with a different mandate imposed upon him?

trevorjd, Torbay, UK

Do we expect anything else from this unfit Government?
And we the BRITISH people allow it to happen, without even a whimper of protest.
Shame on us all.

Susannah, Harrogate Yks, UK

Why dont we send these people to a strict moslem country where their professed beliefs are practised so they can enjoy the fruits of their religion... somewhere like Saudi for example ... ok they wont have freedom of speech or social security, to take care of their famillies whilst they are out doing a spot of Jihad raining with Al Queda.
Sadly they will have to accept the fact that they dont have the right to enjoy a free press or media and that anything they watch on TV has been censored. I suppose they wouldn't be bothered by the fact that their wives can't vote of course, or drive a car .. or do anything in fact ...except wander around with a tent on their heads.
With such a paradise a mere air flight away ( providing they can get a sponsor to guarantee their visa) i can't for the life of me understand why they wan't to come and live in a country such as ours !

andy, Lyon, France

We have become the world's terrorist safe haven.

If North Africa becomes too hot, if the Egyptians want you out, if the Pakistans police are getting too close and the Saudis no longer want to fund your activities you can always come to Britain. And the more you have murdered your way around the world, the more you have praised the activities of others who reduce a bustling market place to a place of carnage, dead and dying, the more you are wanted the safer you will be.

So keen to secure the praises of Liberty and the fashionable Left, this Govt has forgotten the principal reason for its existence - to protect the British people.

Hugh, London,

These men should be returned to their countries of origin and their right to British residency removed. Their families, whom the British taxpayers are probably supporting, can be sent to join them. They should be grateful that the British government has acted on their behalf; The government has to consider the safety of the British people first and foremost.

Sheona Hutcheson, Chesham,

Has no-one in government asked themselves why these guys were taken prisoner where they were arrested. Our government may be half daft andd willing to listen to any old story but the rest of us are left asking whose liberties they are in office to protect. It seems that they will do anything before they will listen to the public who would prefer these men to be left where they are. This is about National Security-not Civil Liberties.

N Brown, Perth, Scotland

If these people had been granted leave to stay and live with their families in Britain, what were they doing in Afghanistan ?
Its the same old story "We must protect their human rights"
The primary purpose of thegovernment of this country is to protect the well being of its own citizens first , second and last.
Please lets see a movement towards this end and stop worrying about people who treat our way of life with contempt
As an aside I wonder who is paying for the upkeep of the Jordanians five children in the UK?

J Steele, Liverpool,

Britain has always been a haven for fascism and currently for islamofascism due to profound stupidity of Britain political establishment. Brittan sent a number of terrorists to Israel where they committed terrorist acts against democratic state of Israel killing children and civilians. Britain has long history of criminal behavior around the world and lost her legitimate right to exists. Britain is a notorious career-criminal country.

Mark Bernadiner, Pearland, USA/Texas

As the wizened old philosopher opined, "Be careful of what you wish for. You may get it."

Mr. Brown, you asked for them, you are getting them, and now, what are you going to do with what you wanted so badly?

Bob Evans, Anaheim, California

Why would any Labour Government genuinely concerned with any possible attack on the British people request the release to the UK authorities of these potential bombers.
As i understand these terrorists were taken prisoner in either Afganistan, Pakistan or Iraq and if released back in the UK, shall not be imprisoned! Are our leaders mad to risk even the smallest possability that these people might turn out to be be future bombers? I am totally sure that the majority of British people would not care if these guys were allowed to rot in Guantanamo forever.
Why are our Government allowed to do this without our consent and why do the majority of our Media report this as as a Civil Liberties issue when in fact it is an issue of National
Security.

brian mc alister, london, england