From Wolverhampton law student to Muslim speaker, via Guantanamo bay

The former law student at the University of Wolverhampton had moved to Afghanistan with his family in 2001 before taking them to Pakistan the following year.

He was detained in Islamabad, Pakistan, after the Pentagon accused him of being an al-Qaeda member.

He was alleged to have recruited for the group and provided funding for their training camps.

Begg was taken to the Bagram internment centre for about a year before being transferred to Guantanamo.

He was released without charge and allowed to return to the UK. Subsequently he admitted spending time at two Islamic training camps in Afghanistan and supporting militant Muslim fighters.

He also said he bought a rifle and a handgun and knew people with links to terrorism, but he denied the other allegations.

Together with other British citizens who had been detained at Guantanamo, Begg launched a legal action against the British government for complicity in their alleged abuse and torture while in US custody.

In 2010 he received a payout estimated to be around £1 million.

In February last year Begg was arrested and detained on seven Syria-related charges, including that he had attended a terrorist training camp and funded terrorism.

Seven months later on the day the trial was due to start all charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence.

He had travelled to Syria, but not, he argued, for the 'purposes of terrorism'.

Begg claims to have been involved in training young men to defend civilians against war crimes by the Assad regime. Begg has become a spokesman for issues relating to the Muslim community and has toured extensively as a speaker.

Speaking after the Paris terror attacks, Begg said: "I think it's important that everyone expresses sympathy with the victims in Paris."