Shaker Aamer: Guantanamo detainee seeks US apology

The UK's last Guantanamo Bay detainee Shaker Aamer wants an apology from the US government, his lawyer has said.

Clive Stafford Smith told the BBC he would sue the US for compensation but did not expect to win.

The father-of-four, who returned to the UK on Friday, is receiving medical care and was keeping "very private", Mr Stafford Smith said.

A family reunion has taken place, with Mr Aamer meeting his youngest son for the first time.

His boy was born on the day he arrived at the US military facility in Cuba 14 years ago.

Mr Aamer, 48, who is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, was held in Guantanamo over allegations he had led a Taliban unit and had met al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, but was never charged.

Mr Stafford Smith said they would sue the US but "we'll never win - American law is pretty insane".

"Compensation is not what Shaker's about," he told BBC Radio 5 live.

"What Shaker wants is a simple apology where they say 'we're really sorry we did this - we'll make sure we set rules in place in future so we don't do it to other people.'"

Mr Aamer also wanted the UK government to hold an "open and transparent" inquiry into allegations that the UK was complicit in torture, Mr Stafford Smith said.

He said his client had spoken to the police for three days while in Guantanamo and was very clear he did not want to put people in prison.

Instead, he wanted people to learn about it so it never happened again, Mr Stafford Smith added.

Mr Aamer is believed to be in line to receive compensation from the UK government after deals were made with previous detainees.

Prime Minister David Cameron has already asked the government's Intelligence and Security Committee to investigate claims of UK complicity in rendition and torture at Guantanamo Bay.

Its new chair, Dominic Grieve QC has said he wants to hold a substantial inquiry, describing it as his longer-term priority.