Fatima Boudchar and her husband, politician Abdel Hakim Belhaj, have received an apology from the UK government – she describes their battle

Fatima Boudchar, 41, now lives in Istanbul with her husband Abdel Hakim Belhaj, 53, and their son, Abderrahim, 13, who was born shortly after she was released from Tajoura prison near Tripoli in Libya. She told the Guardian:



“I still get nightmares ... but I have forgiven Britain now. When I think back on it, I go through all my feelings again: the nervousness, the fear. You don’t forget even after they have given an apology and compensation and time has passed. You can’t be compensated for those feelings.

“At first on the flight from Malaysia to Thailand [in 2004], the idea was to go on to the UK. But when we got off at Bangkok, there were Americans, I think CIA people, waiting for us. They were checking us against photographs of us they had had taken in Malaysia.



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“There was a large vehicle near the plane. They covered my eyes and put headphones on my ears. I was five months pregnant. A woman sat either side of me. They were tall and wore hoodies. They looked American.

“We were driven to a prison about half an hour away. I was put in a cell and shackled by long chains on one hand and one foot. There was a bedding to lie on. They knew I was pregnant but I asked for water and they would never bring me any.

“Because they were Americans I thought we would be taken to the States. I never thought Libya would be on the cards.

“I had a fever and started to shiver. They brought me a Thai doctor. She tried to calm me down. I could hear my husband in another cell but could not communicate with him.

“After three days we were put on another plane. I was blindfolded and had ear defenders on again. They didn’t tell me anything. I didn’t know at first that my husband was on the same plane. It was a 17-hour flight.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Libyan politician Abdel Hakim Belhaj, left, is handed a letter of apology from the UK government by Sir Dominick Chilcott, British ambassador to Turkey. Photograph: Lefteris Pitarakis/AP

“They strapped me to a stretcher for the journey. When we arrived I heard my husband screaming loudly. I knew he was being tortured. I had no idea where we were. Then I heard Arabic being spoken with a Libyan accent. A voice said: ‘This is the document that has been signed’. It could have been signed by Gaddafi.

“They took us to Tajoura prison which was run by the external security department. They gave me a cell, which was bigger than in Bangkok, and brought me food. I had not eaten for five days or drank. I had a fever and was very worried about the baby.



“I was not tortured there. They brought me food and a doctor. I was in prison for four months and was only released 21 days before I gave birth.

“My husband was in a cell not far from me and at dinner and lunch I was allowed to go to him. That was an order from Gaddafi. Libyan intelligence came to ask me questions. My husband would inquire if US intelligence officers had come to see me, too.

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“When I was released from Tajoura I went to live with my husband’s family. We were under surveillance but I never went out.

“In some ways it’s feeling of relief now. I’m glad the case is finished. We can get on with our lives. There’s closure. If the government had given us this apology six years ago [when the legal claim was first made] we would have accepted it then.

“My feeling about Britain is that it’s OK now that they have accepted what happened to us and believe what we said. They did the right thing by giving us an apology and acknowledging what we asked for.



“I don’t know if they would give me a visa again but I like Britain. It’s a beautiful country. I have forgiven them. If they invite me back, I will give evidence to any inquiry.”









