Freed player gives thanks

THE refugee footballer locked up in a Thai prison cell for 76 days last night was back home in Australia.

Hakeem al-Araibi, 25, has become arguably the most popular semi-pro soccer player in the world after a global campaign led to the Thai and Bahraini governments buckling under pressure to release him.

A fatigued Mr al-Araibi, sporting the shirt of his Victorian state league side Pascoe Vale, returned to his Melbourne home yesterday just before 2.30pm, in an emotional reunion with his wife, after their dream Thai honeymoon ended in a nightmare.

He spent several hours with his wife before attending a pri- vate function with supporters who helped secure his release, including the driving force behind the campaign, formerSocceroo Craig Foster.

Mr al-Araibi’s wife, whose name was withheld because of fears for her family’s safety in Bahrain, was emotional seeing her husband for the first time in more than two months.

The former Bahrain youth international was sentenced to 10 years’ jail in absentia for vandalising a police station in Bahrain, in a trial he insisted was politically motivated.

He paid tribute to his adopted country as hundreds of people welcomed him at Tullamarine Airport.

“I don’t have citizenship yet, but my country is Australia. I will die in Australia and I love Australia,” Mr al-Araibi said. “I want to thank Australia.” But the Federal Government faces scrutiny over its role in the affair after revelations the Australian Federal Police was responsible for the tip-off which resulted in Mr alAraibi’s arrest on arrival at Bangkok airport. The Greens want a Senate inquiry.

Hakeem al-Araibi