A lawyer for the former Guantánamo detainees given asylum in Bermuda has stressed they have no terrorist training.

Susan Baker Manning said Abdullah Abdulqadir, Khalil Mamut, Ablikim Turahun and Salahidin Abdulahat had not attended any camps or planned any terrorist activity.

"None of the Uighurs has had terrorist training, or been to a terrorist camp," said Mrs. Manning.

In a statement she said Government Ministers conducted a "searching inquiry" into the men's backgrounds prior to granting them asylum. It was undisputed that none of them had engaged in hostilities or planned any terrorist activity.

"None of the Uighurs has ever sought to wage jihad, to harm westerners, or make common cause with al Qaeda a group they had never heard of until after they arrived at Guantánamo," said Mrs. Manning.

She said although the Chinese Muslims were cleared for release six years ago they had to remain at Guantánamo until a new destination could be found.

"The only reason the Uighurs were imprisoned so long after being cleared for release is that they cannot be lawfully returned to China, where they would likely be tortured or killed," she said.

"US Secretary of State Colin Powell stated in 2004 that the US was 'trying to find places for' the Uighur detainees but they 'are not going back to China'.

"Many countries less courageous than Bermuda have been unwilling to resettle the Uighurs for fear of upsetting the Communist Chinese government."

She said the men were "deeply grateful to the people of Bermuda, as well as Premier Dr. Ewart Brown and the Government, for the hospitality they have shown".

"In giving these men refuge, the people and Government of Bermuda have demonstrated their deep commitment to human rights," said Mrs. Manning.

Commenting on the oppression in their home country, she said the men fled China after seeing the government "torture their parents, shut down their houses of worship, control their businesses and force abortions on Uighur women".

"They had seen relatives dragged away to prison at gunpoint," she said.

Two US federal courts concluded there was no lawful evidence to imprison the Uighurs at Guantánamo. In October 2008, a Bush administration attorney then conceded he had no evidence that the men would pose any danger.

Mrs. Manning said the four Chinese Muslims were "innocent of all wrongdoing". She said the US military allegedly paid out bounties of $5,000 for each. Since releasing five Uighurs to Albania in 2006, Mrs. Manning said the US has concluded they are living "peaceful, productive lives". One former detainee is now living in Sweden after being granted permanent asylum there.