Derek Bond had wondered if he would survive prison

Charity worker Derek Bond arrived back at his home in Bristol on Friday after spending three weeks in a South African jail.

The 72-year-old grandfather was seized by police after the FBI told them they thought he was a man they wanted to question in connection with a massive fraud.

Now, Mr Bond is deciding whether to take legal action after his solicitor confirmed he would have a strong case to sue over wrongful imprisonment and his holiday being ruined.

A spokesman for the FBI said: "We'll wait until Mr Bond decides to sue and react to the situation then, but we're not prepared to speculate on what might happen."

Retired structural engineer, Mr Bond, told a news conference at Heathrow airport: "It's a tremendous relief to be back. I just never believed it could happen. It's just been one of those experiences which, the sooner I forget, the better."

I was put into large cells with murderers, rapists and drug addicts. Derek Bond

He also received a telephone call from South Africa's president Thabo Mbeki.

Mr Bond joked that when he was told the president was on the phone - he assumed it was the president of his local rotary club where he is a member.

He said: "The president of South Africa spoke to me for about 10 minutes and apologised on behalf of the people of South Africa.

"He said: 'If you will come back - because this could damage us so much and it isn't our fault - you will come and have tea with me - I will insist on that'.

"I was put into large cells with murderers, rapists and drug addicts. We were held in a cage and I really, at one point, thought, am I going to survive?"

Mr Bond voiced criticism of the FBI for its lack of action during his time in prison, saying his opinion of the US authorities was "pretty low".

"A lot of the time I spent in South Africa was because they were vacillating and would not move to do anything," he said.

Mr Bond praised the support he had received from his Rotarian colleagues in Bristol.

Andrew Gregg said Mr Bond had a strong case for compensation

"The people in Bristol of character who knew me well have responded magnificently and they could do so because they knew me and that should've carried some weight," he said.

Mr Bond's solicitor, Andrew Gregg, said the Rotarian would have a good case for substantial compensation against the FBI.

"The jail was most unsatisfactory and unsavoury really and not the sort of place where someone should be incarcerated for nearly three weeks.

"I've done what I can to get him back, although the major part has been played by the Press who got the diplomats and US intelligence to realise they had made a ghastly mistake.

"He would have a very strong case for compensation for wrongful arrest and false imprisonment, not to mention the ruination of his holiday and the ordeal that his wife and family have been put through as well."