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FBI blunder victim returns home
LONDON, England -- A British grandfather wrongly detained for three weeks in a South African jail after being mistaken for one of America's most-wanted criminals has arrived back home. Derek Bond and his wife Audrey arrived back at their home in Bristol, south west England on Friday morning. Bond said: "We are very relieved to be back. Thank you very much. "It's a tremendous relief and I never believed this could happen. I have no plans and it will take a while to readjust. "I have had heart problems while I've been away and I will probably pop into a hospital before I try to get back to normal." Earlier, after arriving on a flight at Heathrow Airport, he broke down in tears and said he had doubted whether he would make it through his 20-day detention. He told reporters: "My spirits just started to sink and sink and sink, and I really at one stage thought: 'Am I going to survive?"' He said South African President Thabo Mbeki telephoned him after his release to apologise on behalf of his country and ask him to return to South Africa. "He (Mbeki) said: 'This isn't our fault, you will come and have tea with me."' Bond, 72, was finally freed on Wednesday after the FBI admitted it had made a mistake. It is thought he may consider legal action as a result of his incarceration. Following his release, Bond told a news conference that there was "every possibility" he would make a claim for compensation. "I will need to take advice from my lawyers but there does seem to be a justified claim," he said. Bond's South African lawyer Waldow told the BBC: "It is just unbelievable. The comedy of errors and the strangeness of this whole incident is just unbelievable." The mistaken arrest came to light after the FBI arrested a man thought to be the real suspect, accused of fraud and money laundering, in Las Vegas.
U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman John Lewis issued an apology. He said: "The short answer is: It is a case of identity theft. As far back as 1989, the person arrested this evening was using the name, the identity ,of Derek Bond. "We had the wrong man. He deserves an apology and he certainly gets one from me. I do apologise and others, I'm sure, will as well." Identity fraud is a growing international crime and has provided another challenge for the fight against terrorism since September 11.
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