Freed Britons still a 'threat'

Four Guantanamo Bay detainees freed in London last night continue to pose a significant terrorist threat, the US claimed today.

American defence chiefs said they had been assured that British authorities were taking "necessary steps" to contain the threat.

Having spent 28 hours at Paddington Green police station, Feroz Abbasi, Richard Belmar, Martin Mubanga and Moazzam Begg were reunited with their families after three years as US captives. Mr Abbasi's brother Kaleb, speaking from the family's home in Croydon, said: "It's a lot to take in. I'm just very happy." Lawyer Louise Christian said after seeing Mr Abbasi: "Like all victims of torture he's finding it difficult to talk about it."

In St John's Wood, Belmar's neighbour Maurice McDermott, 28, said: "His mother will be overjoyed." America detained the four - all suspected at one

time of links to al Qaeda - in Afghanistan or Pakistan.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens said confessions from Guantanamo Bay would not be admissible in a British court. However, the men are expected to face surveillance by police and security services.

Azmat Begg told GMTV today that he was "over the moon" to see his son. Asked if Moazzam was bitter, Mr Begg said: "No. He wants to fight for people who are still there and he is definite that they are not terrorists."