Allegations of torture, beatings, humiliation and desecration of the Quran were made yesterday by three Bahrainis released from Guantanamo Bay earlier this month. US prison guards interrupted prayers by stepping on detainees' heads, stamped on copies of the Quran, threw the Quran in the toilet and physically assaulted those who did not follow orders, they said.

It was the first time the three Bahrainis have spoken publicly about their incarceration since they arrived back in Bahrain on November 5.

Abdulla Majid Al Nuaimi, 24, Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, 26, and Adel Kamel Hajee, 41, painted a chilling picture of life inside the infamous US military camp - saying one of the worst aspects was that they never knew what might happen to them next.

"The living quarters were like animal pens," said Mr Hajee, who claimed he was taken from a jail in Kandahar, Afghanistan, to Guantanamo Bay on a trip that lasted almost 24 hours.

During the journey he said detainees were given no food and prevented from sleeping, speaking or resisting the bound conditions imposed upon them.

He claimed they were beaten in the head and throttled by soldiers if they disobeyed.

"(In Kandahar) I saw prisoners who were praying and while they were genuflecting (putting their forehead to the floor) I saw soldiers step on their heads," he said.

Mr Hajee also said he had seen detainees on hunger strike being beaten, force-fed and tied to their beds.

Most of the 42 nationalities at Guantanamo Bay were Gulf nationals from Saudi Arabia and Yemen, he added.

Mr Hajee was speaking in a Press conference at the Al Nuaimi family home, Riffa, attended by fellow former detainees Abdulla Al Nuaimi and Shaikh Salman.

Also present was outspoken advocate for the detainees MP Mohammed Khalid.

During the Press conference, Mr Al Nuami said he had both seen and been a victim of abuse and religious humiliation at the hands of his captors.

"I saw soldiers throw a Quran into a pail (used as a toilet)," he said.

"I was given a Quran to read and I often saw on the pages inside there were the prints of the soldier's boots."

He claimed that military personnel at the camp prevented him from taking the desecrated Quran with him when he left the prison.

Mr Al Nuami said he had not seen fellow Bahraini detainee Juma Al Dossary being abused, but confirmed that he had seen physical abuse meted out to other detainees.

He added there was no logical reason why himself, Mr Hajee and Shaikh Salman had been released instead of the remaining three Bahrainis Salah Abdul Rasool Al Blooshi, Essa Al Murbati and Al Dossary.

"It's like George Bush has six Bahraini dinars, 100 riyals and he's giving them out as he pleases," he said.

The four declined to talk in detail about their personal health, but MP Mohammed Khalid answered a question about their condition - saying they were all "fine".

"They're fine physically and mentally, better than me even," he said. "They're here in front of you, aren't they?"

However, Shaikh Salman declined to speak at the Press conference and had to be helped up so he could leave around 15 minutes after it started.

He allowed Mr Al Nuaimi to speak on his behalf and exited the Press conference supported by Abdulla Hajee, brother of released detainee Adel.

Mr Hajee said Shaikh Salman was complaining of a headache and tiredness, but added that he was "very shy".

Both Mr Al Nuaimi and Mr Hajee said they were captured in Afghanistan by Pakistani officials.

When asked why they went to Afghanistan in the first place, Mr Hajee said he had gone to provide humanitarian aid. "I wanted to help people in the war-torn areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan," he said.

"I had heard that Afghanistan was not accepting Muslims or Arabs, so I travelled there indirectly through Iran. I was not worried when I was in Afghanistan because I wasn't there to do anything wrong."

However, Mr Al Nuaimi was more defensive and said it was his right to be there as a Muslim - describing the war in Afghanistan as a war on Islam.

"It is an invalid question because it is the right of every Muslim to visit any Muslim country and that is the answer," he said. "The actual question is why did the US go to Pakistan and Afghanistan? Not why did I go."

When asked if he was a member of Al Qaeda, as the US alleged, he said no.

But he claimed that distinctions among the global Muslim community are imposed by the US and said all Muslims are the same.

PHOTO CAPTION

Adel Kamel Hajee.