By KUNA
London : Two former Guantanamo Bay detainees wanted in Spain on terror charges were appearing in court here Wednesday for extradition hearings, police said.
Jamil el-Banna, 45, and Omar Deghayes, 38, returned to Britain last month after being released from the controversial US camp in Cuba.
But they were immediately held under European arrest warrants alleging they were members of an al Qaida cell operating in Spain.
The men were released on bail to appear again before Westminster Magistrates Court, in central London, today.
El-Banna had half of his 50,000 pounds bail surety put up by human rights campaigner and actress Miss Vanessa Redgrave.
The earlier court hearing, on December 20, was told Spain wanted his extradition over claims he was part of an al Qaida cell called the “Islamic Alliance.” It also heard that el-Banna was a Pakistani national who travelled to Britain on a false passport of gulf state before applying for asylum and being given indefinite leave to remain.
The court was told of allegations that Deghayes went to Spain in 1996 and hid in the Madrid flat of a man later convicted over bombings in Casablanca.
He is also accused of being a member of the Islamic Alliance, and of associating with one of the men involved in the 2004 Madrid train bombings.
Miss Redgrave put up 15,000 pounds towards his surety.
Both men are on stringent bail conditions, including wearing an electronic tag and obeying curfews.
They now face lengthy extradition proceedings before finding out whether they will have to go to Spain to face charges.
Representatives of the pair said today’s hearings were expected to be purely procedural.