Freed terror suspect seeks apology

Lotfi Raissi says he no longer has a life

A British-based pilot accused of being a "lead instructor" for four of the hijackers involved in the 11 September terrorist attacks has demanded a public apology from the United States government.

Lotfi Raissi was freed last month when a London magistrate said there was "no evidence" to support claims he was a terrorist and stopped a US bid to extradite him.

The Algerian-born 28-year-old described his early morning arrest on 21 September as "like a kidnapping" and said he spent the following five months in prison terrified he would receive the death penalty.

As he recalled the ordeal, Mr Raissi broke down and said: "What I would like is a widely publicised apology, it is very important to restore the name of my family."

'Humiliation'

Mr Raissi from Colnbrook in Buckinghamshire, has always protested his innocence and said the whole period has been a terrible mistake.

I don't have a job, I can't even support my family

Lotfi Raissi

He told Channel 4 News that prison was "unbearable" after the officers told other inmates who he was.

And he added: "Always I was thinking, even if I go to a fair trial, I'm going to the electrical chair because nobody was listening, nobody was looking at the facts."

Mr Raissi said he had no longer had "a life" and that he has lost all hope of staying in the aviation industry, or even earning a respectable wage.

He said: "I don't have a job, I can't even support my family, and I'm very concerned for my future with the reputation I have.

"A number of my family because of this already lost their jobs and the humiliation we went through."

Investigation continues

Mr Raissi was held as a Category A prisoner in Belmarsh Prison after the FBI said he trained four of the terrorists, including the man who flew a plane into the Pentagon.

It abandoned attempts to extradite Mr Raissi on terrorist charges, but wanted to bring him to the US to face charges of falsifying an application for a pilot's licence.

Despite the decision to free Mr Raissi, the US says it will continue its investigation against him.