Abdul Baset Azzouz sought asylum in Britain from Libya. His children are British citizens and he was granted residency. He lived a regular life thereafter, safe in the knowledge that with Libya’s post-Lockerbie reputation as a marginalised pariah state, he would not have to return to risk his life.

Officials have linked a recent increase in US drone missile attacks in Pakistan to efforts to disrupt a suspected al-Qaeda plot to attack European targets.