The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) today added its weight to international calls for the immediate closure of the US detention facility in Guantanamo Bay.

To mark the fifth anniversary since the arrival of the first detainees in Guantanamo, Secretary General Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari said, 'the continued detention and abuse of prisoners in Guantanamo represents the greatest travesty of justice in our time.'

The MCB regards the entire history of the Guantanamo facility as one littered with evidence of man's inhumanity to his fellow human being. Its continued operation can only foster extremism and conflict.

Abdul Bari added, 'it is high time the US government did the decent thing and uphold universal standards of justice.'

[ENDS]