A British Taliban suspect, held in Cuba without trial by the United States, on has lost a legal bid to force Britain to intervene on his behalf despite a ruling that his detention was "legally objectionable".
"It would not be appropriate to order the Secretary of State [Foreign Secretary Jack Straw] to make any specific representations to the US," judge Nicholas Phillips ruled.
Despite what Phillips said appeared to be "a clear breach of fundamental human rights," no action could be taken because "this would have an impact on the conduct of foreign policy at a particularly delicate time."
Following the ruling, human rights watchdog Amnesty International called on London to press Washington to repatriate the British Taliban suspects held by the US in Guantanamo, Cuba.
Abbasi, from Croydon, south London, is one of eight confirmed British nationals held in Cuba.
Repatriation should be sought immediately "unless they [the suspects] are promptly charged," Amnesty said in a press statement.
The rights group said, if charged, the suspects must be "brought to trial before an independent court in proceedings which respect their rights to a fair trial and exclude the possibility that the death penalty may be imposed."
