HUNDREDS of students packed into a York lecture theatre to hear a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner speak about his ordeal.

Moazzam Begg spoke passionately at the University of York about his turbulent life and the events before and after he was arrested and detained in the controversial detention camp.

Begg was invited to speak at the university by the student-run society YorkX. He told the audience he was arrested at gun point on suspicion of links to Al-Qaeda in 2002.

Officers handcuffed him in front of his wife and children at his Pakistani home and he was taken to Bagram Internment Facility, in Afghanistan, where he claims he witnessed other inmates being beaten to death.

He told the audience how his transfer to Guantanamo Bay, in 2003, came as a relief as Begg claimed Bagram was "far worse" than the Cuban facility.

Throughout his two-year stay in Bagram, Begg was never charged with an offence, but he says he was subjected to intense periods of interrogation where he was told a girl screaming nearby was his daughter.

During his time in captivity he said he came across many decent American soldiers, but he claimed others would often stand on the hands of prisoners as they prayed and told them "I am your God, worship me."

When he arrived at Guantanamo Bay he was placed into solitary confinement, however, he says this removed him from the peer pressure found among other prisoners and guards, and he was able to build friendships with other soldiers.

His release eventually came in 2005 following the efforts of his father, Azmat, who campaigned tirelessly for his son to be freed.

Begg was also able to compose a letter from his cell and handed it to a friendly guard who posted it to British national newspapers and a campaign for his release was taken to Parliament.

Begg answered various questions from the audience, including one about Prevent - the government’s flagship anti-radicalisation strategy.

Speaking after the event, he said: "The event at York Uni was a great success.

"Everything from Guantanamo, secret evidence, Islamophobia, causes of terrorism to Prevent and how to tackle it was discussed.

"This event was a big slap in the face to all those seeking to silence our voice, by Allah's grace and mercy."