Moazzam Begg

Moazzam Begg
Born	(1968-07-05) July 5, 1968 Sparkhill, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Occupation(s)	Author, commentator
Known for	Former detainee at Bagram and Guantanamo Bay; human rights activism

Moazzam Begg (; born 5 July 1968 in Sparkhill, Birmingham) is a British Pakistani who endured nearly three years of extrajudicial detention by the US government at both the Bagram and Guantanamo Bay detention camp. Captured by Pakistani intelligence in February 2002, he was handed over to US authorities and remained in custody until January 2005.

US officials designated Begg as an enemy combatant, accusing him of membership in al-Qaeda and involvement in recruitment, funding, and training for combat operations against American or allied forces. While Begg acknowledged spending time at two Afghan camps unrelated to al-Qaeda during the early 1990s and providing financial aid to fighters in Bosnia and Chechnya, he denied any participation in terrorist activities.

During his detention at Bagram, Begg reported mistreatment by guards and witnessed the fatal beating of two detainees. Subsequent military inquiries verified that these deaths were homicides committed by US personnel, contradicting initial denials from American officials.

Following widespread public concern in the UK regarding British citizens held at Guantanamo, the British government intervened. Despite resistance from the Pentagon, CIA, and FBI, President George W. Bush ordered Begg’s release without charges on 25 January 2005. Begg, along with other British detainees, pursued legal action against the UK government alleging complicity in their torture while under US custody. In November 2010, the UK settled out of court with sixteen detainees, including Begg.

After his release, Begg became a prominent commentator on counterterrorism policies in the US, UK, and globally. He engaged in speaking tours about Guantanamo and other detention centers, co-wrote a book, and contributed articles to various newspapers and magazines. He also appeared in the 2007 documentary Taxi to the Dark Side, which examines prisoner abuse by US forces.

In 2014, British authorities arrested Begg on allegations related to terrorism during the Syrian civil war. However, charges were subsequently dropped when it was revealed that MI5 had authorized his travel to Syria.

Early life and education

Born in Sparkhill in 1968 and raised in Birmingham’s suburb of Moseley, Moazzam Begg is the son of Azmat Begg, who emigrated from British India via Pakistan to the United Kingdom and initially worked as a bank manager. Begg holds dual citizenship of the UK and Pakistan. His mother passed away when he was six years old.

From ages five to eleven, Begg attended the Jewish King David School, Birmingham, a choice made by his father based on its principles. He later enrolled at Moseley Secondary School, where he became involved with the Lynx gang, a predominantly Pakistani street gang formed in Birmingham during the 1970s as a response to far-right anti-immigrant groups. Begg admitted to participating in conduct he considered inconsistent with good Muslim values but noted it was seldom violent. On one occasion, he appeared before a court for engaging in a fight with skinheads.

Begg pursued legal studies for two years at the University of Wolverhampton after completing courses at Solihull College, though he did not finish his degree due to lack of enthusiasm.

UK and journeys to Islamic nations, 1993–98

While on a family vacation to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan during his late teenage years, Begg developed a fascination with Islam. Toward the end of 1993, he traveled back to Pakistan and crossed into Afghanistan near Khost, where he visited a camp hosting US-supported nationalist and Islamic insurgents opposing the Soviet-backed Afghan regime. This camp was managed either by the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance or by a Pakistani faction engaged in the Kashmir conflict. Begg recounted encountering men who exemplified strong faith and dedication but stated he did not take part in any training activities.

Motivated by the mujahedeen, Begg journeyed to Bosnia amid the early 1990s conflict to aid the Muslim population. The harrowing accounts of brutality profoundly impacted him, leading him to join a charitable organization operating there in 1994. Although he briefly enlisted with the Bosnian Army Foreign Volunteer Force, he withdrew from combat after witnessing intense suffering. During this time, Begg met Khalil Deek.

He also sought to travel to Chechnya during its conflict with Russia, offering financial assistance to foreign fighters but refrained from engaging directly in combat.

In 1994, Begg was detained on conspiracy allegations connected to defrauding the Department of Social Security. His associate Syed Murad Meah Butt admitted guilt and served an 18-month sentence; however, charges against Begg were dismissed due to insufficient evidence.

During an anti-terrorism raid at Begg's residence around that period, authorities reportedly discovered night vision equipment, a flak jacket, and materials alleged to be extremist literature. Begg asserted these items were acquired through his charitable efforts in Bosnia and Chechnya and denied possession of any extremist writings. His father remarked that Begg had collected military gear as a hobby since childhood.

Following the public revelation of his Guantanamo detention in 2005, the US Justice Department accused him of undergoing extensive training at al-Qaeda camps since 1993, including instruction in weaponry and ambush tactics. Pentagon officials described him as "a member of al-Qaeda and affiliated organisations," alleging involvement in supporting terrorist operations by sheltering families of al-Qaeda members. Begg has consistently refuted these allegations, maintaining he never planned or took part in attacks targeting Westerners.

Marriage and relocation to Pakistan

In 1995, Begg entered into marriage, and by early 1998, he relocated with his family to Peshawar, Pakistan. An American counterterrorism source claimed that the CIA and MI5 suspected Begg collaborated with Khalil Deek, who was also in Peshawar at the time, to produce a CD-ROM terrorist manual. Begg acknowledged meeting Deek in Bosnia and working together on a business selling traditional Pakistani garments but denied any association with Zubaydah. Pentagon officials asserted this contradicted statements he made during interrogations.

Begg spent two or three days at another Afghan training camp near Jalalabad, describing it as operated by Iraqi Kurds training against Saddam Hussein, rather than being linked to al-Qaeda. He contributed several hundred pounds to this camp as well as a third one. According to Pentagon sources, Begg stayed for five days in early 1998 at Derunta, an al-Qaeda-affiliated camp, and his statements suggested training at Derunta plus two additional camps. Begg denied these claims but admitted signing documents under coercion.

UK, 1998–2001

In 1998, Begg made his way back to Birmingham and, alongside former stockbroker Imran Khan, launched the 'Maktabah Al Ansar' bookstore and video outlet specializing in Islamic materials in Sparkhill. The establishment was subjected to a police raid in 1999. That same year, the bookstore released a publication authored by Dhiren Barot entitled The Army of Madinah in Kashmir.

During February 2000, authorities from the police and MI5 conducted a raid on the shop amid an investigation into Islamic terrorism, confiscating various items and detaining Begg under British anti-terror legislation; he was subsequently freed without any charges. According to Begg’s father, encrypted data was extracted from his son’s computer; however, Begg declined to provide the decryption key, and a judge ruled that he could not be compelled to do so.

Ruhal Ahmed, one of the 'Tipton Three' held at Guantanamo Bay, reportedly developed an interest in jihad after purchasing books from Maktabah Al Ansar during the summer of 2000.

In the summer of 2001, Begg’s residence in the UK was searched by anti-terrorism officers who seized his computer and other materials; nevertheless, no charges were brought against him.

Afghanistan and Pakistan, July 2001 – February 2002

Toward the end of July 2001, Moazzam Begg moved with his wife Zaynab and their three children to Kabul, Afghanistan, then governed by the Taliban. He regarded Afghanistan as an affordable environment to raise his family free from racial discrimination and acknowledged certain social justice improvements and adherence to Islamic principles under Taliban rule, although he later criticized their human rights violations.

Begg sought to construct wells in drought-stricken areas of northwest Afghanistan and to establish a girls’ school in Kabul. He had raised funds and gathered supplies while still residing in the UK. Although the Taliban opposed female education and refused to grant official permission, they did not actively obstruct his initiative. He noted that repression against women was less severe in Kabul compared to other regions and observed that the Taliban showed greater openness toward Islamic volunteers. During this time, he acquired a firearm.

In his book Enemy Combatant, Begg conveyed his aspiration to live within an Islamic state devoid of corruption, considering the Taliban preferable to prior regimes spanning the previous quarter-century. He highlighted advancements such as enhanced security and infrastructure relative to warlord-dominated governance, despite later denouncing their abuses.

Begg claimed he had no prior knowledge of Al Qaeda before the events of 9/11 and viewed Osama bin Laden’s conflict with the United States as detrimental to Muslim interests.

Following the Allied invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001 and the subsequent fall of the Taliban regime, US officials alleged that Begg joined their retreat into the Tora Bora mountains with intentions to resist coalition forces. Begg maintains that his plan was to evacuate his family to Islamabad, Pakistan; during this escape they became separated but were reunited by mid-November.

The seizure of Derunta training camp near Jalalabad in November 2001 revealed a photocopied wire transfer from Habib Bank AG Zurich addressed to a 'Moazzam Begg' in Karachi—an occurrence unknown to both US and Pakistani authorities. Begg denies any awareness of this transaction.

In February 2002, Begg was detained at his home in Islamabad by agents believed to be Pakistani operatives collaborating with US forces. His family asserted that this was a case of mistaken identity. After several weeks in custody, he was handed over to US military control at Bagram Air Base near Kabul.

Detention in Afghanistan

Begg was confined at the Bagram Theater Internment Facility from February 2002 until February 2003. He described being restrained in a hog-tie position, subjected to physical assault including kicking and punching, confined in a room with a bag covering his head despite suffering from asthma, denied access to legal representation, and threatened with electric shocks, broken bones, sexual violence, and extraordinary rendition if he refused to sign confessions.

Pentagon spokesperson Bryan Whitman later asserted that there was "no credible evidence" supporting claims of abuse by US personnel, with intelligence officials suggesting Begg may have exaggerated his experiences. Whitman did not confirm whether these allegations were formally investigated.

In July 2004, Begg detailed "threats of torture, actual torture, death threats, racial and religious abuse," stating that he signed documents under coercion. He also reported witnessing the deaths of two detainees—Dilawar and Habibullah—resulting from severe beatings inflicted by US military members. At the time, the Department of Defense rejected these reports, attributing the fatalities to natural causes despite coroner findings indicating homicide. A subsequent 2005 DoD inquiry confirmed that the deaths were entirely caused by mistreatment from American soldiers.

Begg suspected that his ongoing detention was partly due to his eyewitness account of these killings.

Documents leaked in 2011 from Guantanamo files revealed that nine months following Begg’s capture, the Department of Defense classified him as a "confirmed member of al-Qaida," identifying him as an instructor at the Derunta training camp and a participant at both al-Badr and Harakat al-Ansar camps.

Detention in Guantanamo Bay

On 2 February 2003, Begg was transferred into US military custody at Guantanamo Bay detention camp. A February 2003 editorial in Gulf News reported that Begg had written to his parents expressing ignorance of any charges against him and describing feelings of despair and hopelessness. The report also claimed he confessed to a plot involving spraying anthrax on the Palace of Westminster, a plan security experts considered highly unlikely; however, detainees reportedly lacked access to legal counsel prior to making confessions.

Begg remained at Guantanamo for nearly two years, including close to 600 days spent in solitary confinement. The US government designated him as an enemy combatant and alleged his involvement in training at al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan. Despite this, he was never formally charged and had very limited legal representation.

On 9 October 2003, a memorandum from a meeting between General Geoffrey Miller and the International Committee of the Red Cross noted that camp officials refused ICRC access to Begg citing "military necessity," a justification permitted only for temporary periods under the Geneva Conventions.

In July 2004, Begg described his conditions not as torture but as "torturous." Later that year, British attorney Clive Stafford Smith reported receiving credible testimony from Begg alleging torture methods including strappado.

Begg’s American lawyer, Gitanjali Gutierrez from the Center for Constitutional Rights, obtained a handwritten letter dated 12 July 2004 addressed to US Forces Administration at Guantanamo. This letter was declassified and shared with his British counsel, Gareth Peirce, who emphasized Begg's declaration: "I am a law-abiding citizen of the UK, and attest vehemently to my innocence, before God and the law, of any crime—though none has even been alleged."

Reported associations with extremists

Name	Details
Shahid Akram Butt	Former leader of Birmingham's 'Lynx Gang'; apprehended in the UK for benefit fraud connected to Begg. Butt was found guilty, while Begg faced no charges. Butt was subsequently convicted in Yemen for planning a terrorist bombing.
Omar Saeed Sheikh	Participated as a volunteer in the 1993 Convoy of Mercy to Bosnia; convicted for kidnapping Western tourists in India; initially convicted and later acquitted in Pakistan regarding Daniel Pearl's murder. The US Department of Defense alleges links with Begg, who denies any encounter.
Khalil al-Deek	Lived in Peshawar, Pakistan, during a period coinciding with Begg’s presence; purported associate of Adam Gadahn. The DoD asserts cooperation with Begg on a terrorist instructional CD-ROM. Begg claims they met in Bosnia and jointly invested in a clothing enterprise, rejecting any association with al-Deek’s al-Qaeda affiliations.
Abu Hamza al-Masri	Counterterrorism authorities in the US and UK suspected Begg had connections to al-Masri at Finsbury Park Mosque beginning in 1999.
Abu Zubaydah	Begg denies having met him; DoD alleges an admission during interrogation.
Dhiren Barot	UK-based convicted terrorist for conspiracy to attack US targets; authored a book published by Begg’s bookstore in 1999.
Richard C. Reid	Convicted for attempted aircraft bombing; DoD claims ties with Begg, who refutes meeting him.
Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi	Alleged al-Qaeda trainer; DoD alleges connections, denied by Begg.
Abu Qatada	Alleged associate of al-Qaeda; DoD claims links, which Begg denies.
Shaker Aamer	Guantanamo analysts assert that Begg met Aamer in Pakistan (1998) and visited James McLintock ('Tartan Taliban'). Allegedly traveled with Aamer to Ireland in 2000 to see Ibrahim Boyasseer, a UN-designated individual linked to al-Qaeda.
Mahmoud Abu Rideh	Palestinian with ties to al-Qaeda leaders; detained post-9/11 in the UK, released without charges in 2005 following a House of Lords decision; subjected to a control order until 2009. Previously established an Arabic girls’ school in Afghanistan that Begg assisted in constructing. Reportedly killed by an airstrike in Pakistan in 2010.

Release

After the United States Supreme Court ruling in Rasul v. Bush (2004), which confirmed detainees’ rights under habeas corpus to contest their detention, the US government instituted Combatant Status Review Tribunals, Administrative Review Boards, and military commissions to assess detainee cases. Nevertheless, detainees were denied legal representation and access to evidence, with numerous allegations relying on hearsay. The British government opposed its nationals facing these tribunals due to limited due process safeguards.

On 11 January 2005, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw announced that following prolonged negotiations with the US, the last four British detainees at Guantanamo Bay would be repatriated "within weeks." Although still classified as "enemy combatants" by the US, no formal charges had been brought against them. The New York Times and CNN reported that President Bush’s decision to release Begg was partly a concession to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was under pressure over his Iraq war stance. The Atlantic observed that the Bush administration sought to impose a gag order on Begg’s release, which was unacceptable to the British public.

On 25 January 2005, Begg along with fellow detainees Feroz Abbasi, Martin Mubanga, and Richard Belmar were transported to RAF Northolt near London. Upon arrival, they were detained under the provisions of the Terrorism Act 2000 by anti-terrorism officers from the Metropolitan Police and taken to Paddington Green Police Station for questioning. By 9:00 pm on 26 January, all four were released without any charges filed.

US allegations of terrorism connections

Despite opposition from the Pentagon, CIA, and FBI, President Bush authorized Begg’s release, overriding senior national security officials who were concerned about the potential risks he posed. Even in 2006, the Pentagon continued to designate him as a terrorist.

Following his release, Defense Department spokesperson Bryan Whitman claimed Begg maintained significant links to terrorism, portraying him as a sympathizer, recruiter, financier, and active fighter. Whitman referenced an eight-page statement Begg purportedly signed at Bagram, in which he admitted to combat alongside Taliban and al-Qaeda forces. Begg contests the authenticity of this confession, asserting it was obtained under coercion. Whitman accused Begg of dishonesty when retracting the statement but did not clarify whether accusations of mistreatment had been formally examined.

Christopher Hogan, a former interrogator, characterized Begg as a dependable source of intelligence—not a mastermind behind 9/11 but rather more of an idealistic figure than a hardened ideological combatant. According to The New York Times, nearly twenty US military and intelligence personnel interviewed did not believe Begg had been wrongfully detained, although some questioned his direct participation in terrorist operations.

Reported associations with extremists post-release

In 2007, Begg delivered talks at University College London’s Islamic Society during the presidency of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. The Times reported that Begg took part in ‘War on Terror Week’ at Abdulmutallab’s invitation; The New York Times noted Abdulmutallab helped coordinate the event and sat near Begg during the sessions. The Weekly Standard described Begg as “a jihadist” and “a skilled anti-American propagandist.”

Begg denies recognizing Abdulmutallab’s attendance and states that the event was arranged by Qasim Rafiq, a friend of Abdulmutallab who did not participate in the lectures.

After his 2007 release from prison in Yemen, Begg interviewed American imam and alleged al-Qaeda affiliate Anwar al-Awlaki. Al-Awlaki later addressed CAGE’s Ramadan fundraising dinners in 2008 and 2009 via video link due to restrictions on his entry into the UK.

Passport denial and seizure

In February 2005, British Home Secretary Charles Clarke declined to issue Begg a passport based on intelligence obtained during his detention in the US. Clarke asserted there were substantial reasons to believe Begg might engage in hostile activities against the UK or its allies if allowed to travel abroad. This exercise of Royal prerogative was uncommon, having been invoked only thirteen times since 1947, with the last occurrence dating back to 1976.

Begg was granted a British passport in 2009; however, it was confiscated at Heathrow Airport in 2013 following his return from South Africa. The Home Office concluded that Begg had participated in terrorist-related activities connected to a visit to Syria the previous year. Begg contended that the passport seizure was retaliatory due to his efforts exposing UK and US involvement in torture and rendition programs. He also noted frequent stops for questioning during international travel, including after official speaking engagements at the European Parliament.

In January 2022, Begg declared he would pursue legal action seeking judicial review against the Home Secretary’s refusal to return his passport, which had remained withheld since 2013. In February 2022, VICE World News featured an interview emphasizing his continued experiences of harassment by government authorities.

Public stances

Since regaining his freedom, Begg has condemned attacks such as 9/11 while expressing support for those resisting British military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2010, he affirmed the legitimacy of Afghan resistance against foreign occupation, highlighting that historically both the British and U.S. governments had backed similar struggles.

Begg took on the role of outreach director at the advocacy organisation CAGE, where he represented detainees still held at Guantanamo Bay and aided former prisoners with their resettlement and social reintegration. He has engaged in speaking engagements and lobbied various governments to accept ex-detainees. In 2010, Cynthia Stroum, then U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg, commended Begg’s articulate advocacy efforts, noting that he was effectively promoting U.S. interests.

In December 2005, Begg appeared in a video plea urging the release of four Western peace activists abducted in Iraq by the Swords of Righteousness Brigade. This campaign received backing from interfaith organisations and detainee Abu Qatada. Following the discovery of the American hostage’s death in March 2006, British forces successfully secured freedom for the remaining captives.

By 2010, as CAGE broadened its focus to include drone warfare and extrajudicial killings, Begg openly criticized President Obama’s continuation of these policies: "Bush was the president of torture, but Obama is the president of extra-judicial killing." While acknowledging minor improvements in Guantánamo’s conditions under Obama, he remained doubtful about the facility’s closure, describing it as effectively permanent.

After the 2014 Peshawar school massacre carried out by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Begg urged an end to retaliatory violence cycles, stressing that “there are no winners” in such conflicts.

Speaker and activist

In his capacity as outreach director for prisoner rights group CAGE, Begg has appeared extensively in media outlets and delivered lectures nationwide addressing issues impacting the British Muslim community—topics including detention without trial, torture, anti-terror legislation, and community relations. His commentary has featured on radio and television programmes such as the BBC’s Panorama and Newsnight, PBS’s The Prisoner, Al-Jazeera’s Prisoner 345, Taking Liberties, Torturing Democracy, and National Geographic’s Guantanamo's Secrets. Additionally, he has contributed articles to major newspapers and magazines.

Begg has toured extensively sharing his detention experiences while critiquing Britain’s counterterrorism approach as racially biased and disproportionate compared to measures applied during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. In January 2009, he co-led a UK tour titled Two Sides, One Story alongside former Guantanamo guard Christopher Arendt.

He has actively campaigned against U.S. wartime policies in collaboration with human rights organisations including Reprieve, Amnesty International, the Center for Constitutional Rights, PeaceMaker, and Conflicts Forum.

In July 2015, Begg publicly supported Jeremy Corbyn’s bid during the Labour Party leadership election.

Book, 2006

In March 2006, Begg co-wrote a book detailing his experiences at Guantanamo alongside Victoria Brittain, former associate foreign editor of The Guardian. The book was released in the UK under the title Enemy Combatant: A British Muslim's Journey To Guantanamo and Back (), while the US edition was named Enemy Combatant: My Imprisonment at Guantanamo, Bagram, and Kandahar (). The American version featured a foreword by David Ignatius of The Washington Post.

The publication received acclaim in the UK, with reviewers commending Begg’s "exceptional openness and fairness toward his captors." However, reactions in the US were more varied; Publishers Weekly described it as "a gripping and intense account." John Sifton from Human Rights Watch observed that much of Begg’s narrative was consistent with other documented reports on detention conditions in Afghanistan and Guantanamo.

The New York Times pointed out significant omissions in Begg’s memoir, such as the absence of details regarding his 1994 arrest on fraud allegations. Meanwhile, U-T San Diego criticized Begg for not fully disclosing aspects of his criminal background, his cooperation with interrogators, and connections to terrorism. Reviewing for The New York Review of Books, Jonathan Raban expressed frustration over these omissions but recognized the harsh realities of Begg’s detention and the sweeping nature of US counterterrorism operations that affected many innocent Muslims.

The Muslim News described the work as an "honest, heartfelt, and candid narrative." In recognition of this book, Begg was honored with the "Published Writer Award" at the annual Muslim Writers Awards held in March 2008.

Lawsuit against the British government

In April 2008, Begg joined seven other former Guantanamo detainees in filing legal action within Britain's High Court. They accused the British Attorney General, Home and Foreign Secretaries, MI5, and MI6 of unlawful conduct, negligence, and complicity in their abduction, mistreatment, and interrogation. During a 2009 hearing, Government counsel rejected these allegations but admitted that MI5 had conducted interviews with some detainees and supplied questions used during interrogations.

By November 2010, the British Government reached a financial settlement with sixteen detainees, including Begg, while maintaining denial of direct involvement in prisoner abuse. Subsequently, a Public inquiry was launched to examine these matters. An interim report issued in 2013 by the Gibson Inquiry found that UK intelligence agencies had participated in rendition operations and had interviewed suspects known to be subjected to mistreatment. Following this report, the public inquiry was paused, with further examination delegated to the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee.

Guantanamo video game, 2009

In 2009, Begg served as an advisor and was slated to appear as himself in the creation of Rendition: Guantanamo, a video game developed by Scottish firm T-Enterprise for Microsoft's Xbox 360. The game sought to immerse players in the perspective of detainees. The company’s director highlighted Begg’s contribution to designing the prison environment and emphasized that only mercenaries—not US or British soldiers—would be targeted within gameplay. Initially uncertain due to concerns about trivializing his ordeal, Begg ultimately regarded participation as an opportunity to increase public awareness. Although he held a financial interest in the project, he had not received payment at that time. The game attracted considerable backlash primarily from US sources opposing its content.

Conservative voices such as Tom Joscelyn from The Weekly Standard and Rush Limbaugh condemned both the game and Begg’s involvement. Ultimately, T-Enterprise abandoned completion of the game amid negative media coverage from the US, which it characterized as "misinformed and unjustified speculation."

Amnesty International dispute, 2010

In 2010, Gita Sahgal, who led Amnesty International’s gender unit, openly criticized the organization for its partnership with Begg due to his connections with CAGE. She condemned Amnesty’s "Counter Terror With Justice" initiative as detrimental to human rights and referred to Begg as "Britain's most prominent Taliban supporter," calling the alliance a significant misjudgment.

Begg lodged a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission against The Sunday Times for associating Amnesty with the Taliban. Amnesty International clarified that its collaboration with Begg was strictly focused on highlighting human rights violations at Guantánamo Bay.

Subsequently, Begg engaged in discussions with Sahgal, arguing that her depiction of him as a Taliban sympathizer—based on his support for negotiated peace in Afghanistan—was inaccurate and unjust.

2014 detentions

In February 2014, West Midlands Police detained Begg on suspicion of attending a terrorist training camp and facilitating terrorism abroad. The police stressed that the arrest did not indicate guilt. By July, he faced charges related to terrorist activities connected to the Syrian Civil War, including participation in a training camp. During the pre-trial period, Begg was held at HM Prison Belmarsh, a facility with high security.

In October 2014, just prior to trial, Begg was freed after prosecutors announced they would not present evidence due to documents revealing that MI5 had prior knowledge of and approved his travel to Syria. West Midlands Police acknowledged the emergence of "new evidence" and accepted Begg's innocence following this development. A spokesperson from the CPS noted that had this information been available earlier, no charges would have been brought.

Appeal letter to President Biden

On 29 January 2021, an open letter authored by Begg alongside six other former Guantanamo detainees was published in the New York Review of Books, urging newly sworn-in President Biden to shut down the detention facility.

Appearances in documentaries

• Begg was featured in the 2007 film Taxi to the Dark Side, directed by Alex Gibney, which received the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. The documentary revealed abuses during the "War on Terror" and was part of the global Why Democracy? series.
• He appears in a comprehensive interview in The Confession (2016), reflecting on his experiences before, during, and after his time at Guantánamo Bay. The Guardian awarded it four stars, praising Begg’s "steadfast and consistent testimony" delivered with "rare solemnity and deep moral conviction." The documentary also aired on BBC’s Storyville under the title Moazzam Begg: Living the War on Terror.
• In 2009, Begg took part in Outside the Law: Stories from Guantanamo, co-directed by Andy Worthington and Polly Nash. This film centers on Begg and other detainees from the UK, featuring insights from lawyers Clive Stafford Smith, Gareth Peirce, and Tom Wilner.
• In 2006, Begg was interviewed for 21st Century CrUSAders, where he characterized the war on terror as effectively a war against Islam. According to Gareth Peirce, possession of this film has been cited as evidence of radicalization in British legal proceedings.

Dramatic portrayal

• Moazzam Begg and his father Azmat are depicted as figures in the theatrical production Guantanamo: Honor Bound to Defend Freedom, authored by Victoria Brittain and Gillian Slovo. This play debuted in 2004 at the Tricycle Theatre before transferring to London's West End. It incorporates firsthand accounts from detainees. The production was also presented at New York's Culture Project and was performed at both the Houses of Parliament and Capitol Hill in Washington during 2006.

See also

• Babar Ahmad

External links

• Interview with Moazzam Begg, Cageprisoners.com, 6 March 2006.
• "The Prisoner", PBS, week of 28 July 2006
• Discussion on detention, torture, and civil liberties via UK-based videoconference with Moazzam Begg, Bill of Rights Defense Committee website, 12 November 2006.
• "Moazzam Begg Responds To His Critics", AndyWorthington.co.uk; 21 February 2010.
• WikiLeaks: Guantanamo Files relating to Moazzam Begg*
• Julian Assange interviews Moazzam Begg and Asim Qureshi of Cage