British Guantanamo Bay Detainee Requests For Poison Test

The British man who was held in Guantanamo Bay for 13 years requested for his long-term doctor to carry out a poison test.  Dr Nicholl said he spent two and half hours with Aamer carrying out medical checks with his team.

"In our heads we were thinking 'we need this guy to be eating drinking and ready to see his family as soon as possible'.

"We just wanted to process things quickly, but he just wanted to talk.

"It felt embarrassing almost that you're with someone who's been waiting to talk to someone reasonable - he was like chatter, chatter, chatter - and I had to say 'I'm sorry Shaker, I've got to take my daughter to see U2 tonight!'

The first doctor to treat Shaker Aamer on his return to the UK has given an insight into the former Guantanamo Bay detainee's condition when he arrived back on British soil.

Dr David Nicholl, a long-time campaigner on Mr Aamer's behalf, was asked by his lawyer to be among the first to meet him.

"At ten past eight on Friday morning I got a text - even then I didn’t know the precise location until two hours before," Dr Nicholl told Sky News.

"It was very nerve wracking because you have absolutely no idea of what he's going to be like.

"He was brought to us in a safe place. We'd gone through extraordinary amounts of security to make sure he was secure, I mean absolutely extraordinary."

Dr Nicholl, who was almost in tears at times during his interview, said Aamer has "aged a lot" physically.

"He looks very different to the photos in the media. One thing that hasn't changed is that beaming smile. He's got an amazing personality and a fantastic sense of humour.

"His hair is greyer, longer. But it's the little things that strike you; he had this red hold-all bag, the kind you'd use for going on a quick flight and that was 14 years in one bag which just had 'prisoner 239' on it - didn’t even have his name.

"Even until the very end he was just a number, not a name."

Dr Nicholl explained why Aamer's lawyers had set up the meeting.

"Shaker knew of me and specifically wanted me to meet him when he arrived, the reason for that is because he completely mistrusts the medical professionals and he wanted to see a healthcare professional he trusted.

"The first thing he wanted to do was see a doctor, have samples taken, because he felt that he'd been poisoned and that stuff had been put in his food over the years, and he wants this fully assessed as part of a campaign to expose Guantanamo.