A refugee football player was welcomed home by hundreds of Australian supporters after two months in a Thai jail under threat of extradition to his native Bahrain.

Hakeem al-Araibi was greeted at Melbourne Airport by a crowd of supporters carrying welcome signs and singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone”.

The footballer, who was granted political asylum in Australia in 2014, was on his honeymoon in Bangkok when he was arrested on request of the Bahraini authorities.

But following international outcry and diplomatic pressure, the Arab kingdom ended its extradition attempt on Monday.

When Mr al-Araibi returned home on Tuesday, he told a cheering crowd: “I would like to say thanks to Australia. It’s amazing to see all of the people here and all of the Australian people and all of the media who supported me.”

Australia’s government, sporting bodies and human rights groups had demanded Thailand send Mr al-Araibi back to Australia, where he has refugee status and plays semi-professional football.

Former Australia national team captain Craig Foster, who has been leading the campaign for his release, said he could not sleep until he received word from the Australian embassy in Bangkok that the 25-year-old’s flight had left.

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Mr Foster was by Mr al-Araibi’s side with an arm around the footballer as they faced the crowd.

“So this is the man, probably the most famous young man in Australia right now,” Mr Foster said. “Something of this magnitude doesn’t happen without an incredible team behind, and there’s been an amazing coalition of people, right from around the world.”

Scott Morrison, the Australian prime minister who wrote twice to his Thai counterpart Prayuth Chan-ocha in a bid to secure Mr al-Araibi’s freedom, tweeted: “I want to thank all Australians for their support in achieving this outcome.

“We are grateful to the Thai government and thank them for the way they have engaged with us to enable Hakeem to return to Australia.”

Two Australian expert cave divers who had helped rescue 12 boys and their soccer coach from a flooded Thai cave in July also wrote to the Thai prime minister last week pleading for Mr al-Araibi’s release.

Anaesthetist Richard Harris and his dive buddy Craig Challen, a retired veterinarian, were last month named joint winners of Australian of the Year Award trophies, one of the country’s most prestigious awards.

“The issue had just gained more and more prominence and Richard and I both realised that we’re in a position to hopefully give the issue a little bit of a nudge and contribute in our own little way,” Mr Challen told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Thai prosecutors on Monday submitted a request to a court to withdraw the case to extradite Mr al-Araibi to Bahrain, where he faces a 10-year prison sentence for an arson attack that damaged a police station. He has denied those charges and says the case is politically motivated.

Prosecutors made the decision after Thailand’s foreign ministry sent their department a letter on Monday indicating that Bahrain had withdrawn its request for Mr al-Araibi, a Thai official said.

Officials in Bahrain, an island kingdom off the coast of Saudi Arabia that is home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet, said the country “reaffirms its right to pursue all necessary legal actions” against Mr al-Araibi.

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Mr al-Araibi, a former Bahraini national team player, says he fled due to political repression and fears torture if he returns.

He was detained at the request of Bahrain, relayed through Interpol upon his arrival in Bangkok in November.

Thailand’s foreign ministry said last week he was detained because Australian authorities had forwarded them an Interpol Red Notice that Bahrain was seeking his arrest.

Australian police acknowledged doing so, but there have been questions raised about why the notice appeared to have been issued just before Mr al-Araibi departed, and whether Bahraini authorities had been tipped off about his travel plans.

Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Show all 29 1 /29 Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Evacuations under way in Townsville on February 4 AFP/Getty Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Army vehicles enter Townsville to help evacuate people on February 4 AFP/Getty Townsville, Australia - Monsoon A major intersection in the flooded Townsville suburb of Idalia on February 4 Getty Townsville, Australia - Monsoon An Australian soldier helps a Townsville resident evacuate her home as the military is deployed to tackle the floods on February 4 AFP/Getty Townsville, Australia - Monsoon A boat steers down a flooded road in Townsville on February 4 Getty Townsville, Australia - Monsoon A flooded neighbourhood in Townsville on February 4 EPA Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Rosslea residents Stephen Jubbs, Stacie Little and Stephen Dobbs take their boat around floodwaters in Rosslea, Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 02 February 2019. Thousands of residents downstream from the Ross River dam were evacuated after flash floods hit the region following heavy rains, media reported. EPA/Andrew Rankin Townsville, Australia - Monsoon A child is seen playing in floodwater in the suburb of Idalia in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded. EPA/Andrew Rankin Townsville, Australia - Monsoon A resident rides his bicycle in floodwaters in the suburb of Idalia in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded. EPA/Andrew Rankin Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Townsville Residents are seen watching the raging floodwaters of the Ross River in the suburb of Douglas on February 01, 2019 in Townsville, Australia. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared Townsville a disaster area and has ordered school closures today after heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in the area. The bureau of meteorology is predicting 400mm of rain to fall over the weekend and into next week. Ian Hitchcock/Getty Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Seen is a lone tree in raging floodwaters of the Ross River on February 01, 2019 in Townsville, Australia. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared Townsville a disaster area and has ordered school closures today after heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in the area. The bureau of meteorology is predicting 400mm of rain to fall over the weekend and into next week. Ian Hitchcock/Getty Townsville, Australia - Monsoon An Australian soldier from 3CER helps sandbag a home in the suburb of Railway Estate on February 01, 2019 in Townsville, Australia. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared Townsville a disaster area and has ordered school closures today after heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in the area. The bureau of meteorology is predicting 400mm of rain to fall over the weekend and into next week. Ian Hitchcock/Getty Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Seen is a flooded street in the suburb of Railway Estate on February 01, 2019 in Townsville, Australia. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared Townsville a disaster area and has ordered school closures today after heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in the area. The bureau of meteorology is predicting 400mm of rain to fall over the weekend and into next week. Ian Hitchcock/Getty Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Seen is a 4WD vehicle in a flooded street in the suburb of Railway Estate on February 01, 2019 in Townsville, Australia. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared Townsville a disaster area and has ordered school closures today after heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in the area. The bureau of meteorology is predicting 400mm of rain to fall over the weekend and into next week. Ian Hitchcock/Getty Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Warning signs are seen on a flooded road in the suburb of Railway Estate on February 01, 2019 in Townsville, Australia. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared Townsville a disaster area and has ordered school closures today after heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in the area. The bureau of meteorology is predicting 400mm of rain to fall over the weekend and into next week. Ian Hitchcock/Getty Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Residents are seen in floodwaters in the suburb of Idalia in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded. EPA/Andrew Rankin Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Locals are seen filling sand bags supplied by the Townsville City Council at Hermit Park in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded. EPA/Andrew Rankin Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Kyle Konings, Courtney Turner and Luke Eketone walk through floodwaters in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded. EPA/Andrew Rankin Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Floodwaters across Ross River in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded. EPA/Andrew Rankin Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Wayne Clayton with Cooper walk through floodwaters in Mundingburra, Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded. EPA/Andrew Rankin Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Courtney Turner and Luke Eketone walk through floodwaters in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded. EPA/Andrew Rankin Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Rocks are seen blocking Muller Street in Wulguru, in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded. EPA/Andrew Rankin Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Floodwaters are seen at Aplins Weir in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded. EPA/Andrew Rankin Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Residents Kerry and Josephine Guinea observe rocks blocking Muller Street in Wulguru, in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded. EPA/Andrew Rankin Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Floodwaters at Alpins Weir along Ross River in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded. EPA/Andrew Rankin Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Residents of the suburb of Idalia are seen playing in floodwaters in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded. EPA/Andrew Rankin Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Wayne Clayton with Cooper walk through floodwaters in Mundingburra, Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded. EPA/Andrew Rankin Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Rocks are seen blocking Muller Street in Wulguru, Townsville, as flooding continues in northern Queensland, Australia February 1, 2019. AAP Image/Andrew Rankin via Reuters Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Local resident Paul Shafer and his daughter Lily stand in floodwaters near star pickets that show where the storm water cover has been removed in Hermit Park, Townsville, northern Queensland, Australia February 2, 2019. AAP Image/Andrew Rankin via Reuters

With Mr al-Araibi now free, attention has quickly shifted to who is to blame for his ordeal.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesperson Penny Wong said senators will quiz Australian bureaucrats at committee hearings next week about why the system had failed Mr al-Araibi.

“I’d encourage the government to be upfront about this,” Ms Wong said. “I think the Australian community does want to know how this occurred and we do need to consider whether the system is fit for purpose.”

Guy Goodwin-Gill, a University of New South Wales expert on international law, said both Australia and Interpol had mishandled Mr al-Araibi’s case.

Australian Federal Police should not have advised Thailand that someone subject to a Red Notice was travelling. Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade should have advised Mr al-Araibi not to travel until the Red Notice was revoked, Mr Goodwin-Gill said.

Interpol should exercise more oversight and review the circumstances of cases with a political element, he said.

It was not clear whether Australia had informed Bahrain that Mr al-Araibi was flying, although Bahrain requested the Red Notice on the same day that Mr al-Araibi received his Thai visa, Mr Goodwin-Gill said.

Mr Foster called for an investigation of Interpol.

“This concept of countries using the Red Notice in order to try to refoul people that they want to return for nefarious reasons has to now become a very serious issue and it is something that we’ll be taking up in the coming months,” he said.