French Guantanamo inmates return home

PARIS - The last three French citizens held by US authorities at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba have arrived back in France, the French Justice Ministry said.

"They are now being transferred to prison," said a ministry official, declining to be named.

"They will appear before a judge, maybe tomorrow. It's on him to decide (whether they will be released)," said the official.

The three men were captured in 2001 or early 2002 after US-led forces invaded Afghanistan to oust the Taleban government and its al Qaeda allies. They were taken to the US military camp at Guantanamo as suspected Islamist militants.

Earlier this year, a government source identified the three as Ridouane Khalid, Khaled ben Mustapha and Moustak Ali Patel.

The source said that on their return a French judge could launch an investigation into the three men for "criminal association with a terrorist enterprise" if it was deemed they entered Afghanistan to enrol in an al Qaeda training camp.

Four other French citizens captured in 2001 and 2002 in Afghanistan by the US military and detained at Guantanamo Bay were returned to France last July and remain in detention despite several release requests by their lawyers.

Judicial authorities are investigating them on terrorism charges.

In Washington, the US Defence Department said in a statement it had transferred the three prisoners to France to face prosecution.

The department said about 540 detainees remained at Guantanamo and added that 211 others had now left.

"Because of operational and security considerations, no further details can be provided," the statement said.

- REUTERS