Danish detainee 'to join rebels'

Slimane Hadj Abderrahmane was not charged on his release

A Danish man released from the US detention camp at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba has said he wants to join Muslim Chechens in their fight against Russia.

Slimane Hadj Abderrahmane, 31, said his deal with US authorities not to take part in terrorist activity could be treated as "toilet paper".

He has caused a stir with various comments since his release in February.

On Sunday, he said Danish support for the Iraq war would justify making its leaders the targets of attacks.

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The Chechen conflict

Mr Abderrahmane, who has a Danish mother and Algerian father, was held in Guantanamo without charge or trial for more than two years, suspected of training in Afghanistan to fight in Chechnya.

He has claimed he was in a training campaign to join Islamic fighters in Chechnya when he was arrested in Pakistan and transferred to Guantanamo in February 2002.

He was not charged upon his return to Denmark.

'Send him back'

In an interview on Danish television, he said he would go in hiding and then "try to find a way to Chechnya".

"I am going to Chechnya and fight for the Muslims," he said.

"The Muslims are oppressed in Chechnya and the Russians are carrying out terror against them."

He told the reporter that a contract signed with US authorities when he was released, agreeing not to take part in terrorist activities or conspire against the US or their allies, was worthless.

"This document is toilet paper for the Americans if they want it," he said, adding that he was "not afraid of being thrown in jail" by Danish authorities.

Denmark backed the US in the strikes against Iraq.

Danish Justice Minister Lene Espersen said Mr Abderrahmane's comments represented "a new situation that the law enforcement authorities must reconsider".

The head of the far-right Danish People's Party, Pia Kjaersgaard, said the government should hand Mr Abderrahmane back to the US.