Amnesty's appeal for 'forgotten prisoners'

Campaigners have appealed for the Government to intervene to help the nine "forgotten prisoners" from Britain who are languishing in Guantanamo Bay.

The human rights group Amnesty International, which publishes a report today on the impact of long-term detention on prisoners and their relatives, also lambasts ministers for failing to help the nine, many of whom are refugees who have lived in Britain for much of their lives.

The foreign office says it cannot press the cases of the men because they are not British citizens, even though some have British wives and children.

The nine men are: Omar Deghayes, Benyam Mohammed, Shaker Aamer, Jamal Kiyemba, Bisher al-Rawi, Jamal El Banna, Ahmed Errachiddi, Ahmed Ben Bacha and Abdelnour Sameur.

Kate Allen, the director of Amnesty international in the UK, said: "The UK Government's reluctance to act on behalf of long-term residents of this country is shameful and must change. These men have become forgotten prisoners."

Clare Short, the former international development secretary, will table a parliamentary motion this week protesting at the Government's failure to press the detainees' cases.