Guantanamo detainee Omar Deghayes has told the United States: "I forgive you."

The Saltdean law student was freed in December, after spending five years without trial in the terror camp, following a campaign by The Argus for justice.

During his time in Guantanamo, Mr Deghayes said he was beaten and tortured.

He said: "In Guantanamo they blinded me in my right eye and broke my fingers, ribs and nose.

"But I don't feel hatred towards all Americans.

"It doesn't work like that. I understand people are people.

"The reasoning of some people is wrong from the beginning.

"Some of the guards had been brainwashed and were later shocked to realise what they'd been told wasn't true."

Mr Deghayes was speaking exclusively to The Argus before a sold-out Brighton Festival talk by human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith, who represented him.

Mr Deghayes, who is originally from Libya, was never charged with a crime. The Argus lobbied politicians to put pressure on the US to put the father-of-one on trial or release him.

Mr Deghayes said he was getting used to living a normal life again and thanked readers for their support.

He said: "The support from the people of Brighton and The Argus was very important. It uplifted me and made me feel I was not alone.

"I could see the difference in the guards when they knew I had help. They became more aware that their actions could be scrutinised."

Mr Deghayes also praised Mr Stafford Smith's work.

He said: "When Clive started doing this work if you stood and spoke about someone in Guantanamo you would be considered a terrorist.

Now it's a sell-out event."

Mr Stafford Smith, founder of campaigning group Reprieve, has written a book called Bad Men: Guantanamo Bay And The Secret Prisons.

Humanity He said: "What's remarkable is a lot of people in America hate Omar and they have no reason to.

"It is a good tribute to humanity that Omar, who has good reason to hate America, doesn't. That is what we need for the future."

Mr Stafford Smith said Omar was released because of political pressure.

He went on: "I like to think I played a part in that but so did the people in Brighton, so did The Argus.

"It's very important to talk about the successes of the past but it's also important to talk about the work of the future. At the moment we are campaigning for Binyam Mohamed, who has suffered unspeakable torture."

The Save Omar group, which was created to campaign for Mr Deghayes' release, is still supporting other detainees in Guantanamo.

The group will hold a letter-writing workshop from 2pm to 4pm on May 31 at the Friends Meeting House, Ship Street, Brighton, with an activists' workshop from 4pm to 5pm.