Moazzam Begg 'to sue government for £100k'

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Moazzam Begg was released from Belmarsh Prison this week Credit: PA

Former terror suspect Moazzam Begg is set to sue the UK government for more than £100,000, it has been claimed, after prosecutors dropped all charges against him - seven months after he was taken into custody.

The former Guantanamo Bay prisoner, from Hall Green in Birmingham, was acquitted at the Old Bailey last week after "new material" came to light.

Mr Begg has always denied any terrorist links, and insisted his trips to Syria were for humanitarian reasons - with reports suggesting British security services had been kept fully informed of his movements.

Legal experts today suggested he could now be awarded more than £100,000 in compensation for his time spent behind bars, awaiting a trial which never happened.

It is understood his supporters are urging him to sue for wrongful arrest, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution.

Mr Begg always insisted his trips to Syria were for humanitarian reasons Credit: Pa

It comes after he was awarded an estimated £1 million payout over his three-year incarceration in Guantanamo Bay, after which he was released without charge.

The father-of-four, aged 45, was arrested at his Birmingham home in February as part of a major anti-terrorist operation.

He was charged with attending a Syrian terror camp, funding terrorism by supplying jihadists with a Honda generator and possessing documents connected to terrorism.

Mr Begg spent seven months in prison before the charges were dropped Credit: PA

But when he appeared before the court via video link from Belmarsh Prison on Wednesday, the case was dropped.

Christopher Hehir, prosecuting, told the court:

Gareth Peirce, Begg’s solicitor, said Mr Begg was a "good and brave man"