Guantanamo Bay prisoner Omar Deghayes is a step closer to freedom today after the British Government finally called for his release.

Libyan-born Mr Deghayes, who has languished in the notorious US detention camp for five years without charge, had previously been shunned by the Foreign Office because he was not a British citizen.

But yesterday the Government executed a dramatic U-turn and asked the American authorities to return Mr Deghayes and four other non-British detainees who used to live in the UK.

The decision comes almost two years after The Argus launched its Justice for Omar campaign, which has called for Mr Deghayes to be released or put on trial.

It is not known whether the 37-year-old former law student, who was granted asylum in the UK in the 1980s following the murder of his trade unionist father in Libya, has been made aware of the Government's move.

But campaigners have hailed it as a sign that the end of Mr Deghayes's ordeal, which began with his capture in Pakistan in 2002, is imminent.

Omar's brother Abubaker Deghayes, said: "Omar is coming home. It is the news we have been waiting for.

"When I heard I was so happy, I was in tears. It's been a long, long terrible episode.

"Previous experience shows when the British Government officially makes a request to the Americans they do manage to bring them back."

The US ambassador to London, Robert Tuttle, said the request to release the detainees would be considered very seriously.

He said: "We will take the request to release them and study it very seriously and get back with all due, deliberate speed."

The Government secured the release of nine British citizens from the detention camp in Cuba more than two years ago.

But the Foreign Office cautioned that discussions with the US government about the release of Mr Deghayes and the other detainees "may take some time".

In a statement it said: "The Foreign Secretary and the Home Secretary have decided to request the release from Guantanamo Bay and return to the UK of five men who, whilst not UK Nationals, were legally resident here prior to their detention."

The Foreign Office said moves in the US towards closing the detention centre had prompted the change of policy.

There are presently 360 people incarcerated at the military camp. About 415 have been released or transferred out of the base.

The Government's request that the five men be released to the UK came as a relief to Mr Deghayes's family in Saltdean, Brighton, who had feared he could face human rights abuses if sent to Libya.

Any decision about the detainees' long-term residential status, if they are returned to the UK, will be taken by the Home Office.

Groups including Amnesty International and Reprieve welcomed the Government's decision.

Abubaker Deghayes said public pressure including The Argus's Justice For Omar campaign had helped bring about the Government's change of heart.

He said: "I think The Argus made a difference. It has shown a tremendous example of how the media is vital, and has really worked hard for justice for Omar.

"Justice is a pillar of British values and I'm grateful to whoever made the decision in the British Government to take this step. I am delighted the British public sincerely stood by us."

Omar's sister, Amani, cautiously welcomed the decision but said she would not be able to fully celebrate until her brother was back in the UK.

She said: "I am really excited about this. It is a real breakthrough.

"I am happy but I am also cautious."

Louise Purbrick, from the Save Omar campaign, said: "This is the most positive thing we have ever heard since we started campaigning.

"We have always been told the court that matters is the court of public opinion. Omar's campaign must have made a difference."

Des Turner, the MP for Brighton Kemptown in whose constituency Mr Deghayes's family lives, said: "It's magnificent. I hope the family is cheered by this news. I think they will be getting Omar back very soon."

Dr Turner, who travelled to Washington earlier this year to lobby the Pentagon and State Department on behalf of the Deghayes family, continued: "One thing that was apparent from discussions I had in America was that officials there were all of the opinion that should the Government decide to accept consular responsibility for whatever reason, this could make a difference."

Former Brighton and Hove City Council leader Simon Burgess said he hoped the council's decision to pass a motion in support of Omar and lobby the Government may have had a "small part" to play in the decision.

He said: "We felt very strongly Guantanamo is an absolute affront to decent standards of humanity, which only gives ammunition to terrorists to accuse us of double standards."

Read our feature on the fight to free Omar.