The Government has requested the release of five former UK residents being held in Guantanamo Bay, the Foreign Office said.
The Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary are seeking the release of the men, who were legally resident in the UK before their detention. Foreign Secretary David Miliband has written to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to formally make the request.
The men, who have been named as Shaker Aamer, Jamil El Banna, Omar Deghayes, Binyam Mohamed and Abdennour Sameur, are not UK nationals but had been granted refugee status, indefinite leave or exceptional leave to remain before they were detained.
By January 2005 the Government had secured the release and return of all UK nationals detained at the centre but had not sought the release of this group of men.
The Foreign Office said it had reviewed its approach to the group in the light of its aim to see the closure of the centre and recent steps taken by the US government to reduce the numbers of detainees held there.
In a statement, the Foreign Office said: "The Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary have reviewed the Government's approach to this group of individuals in light of these ongoing developments, our long-held policy aim of securing the closure of Guantanamo Bay, and the need to maintain national security.
"They have decided to request the release and return of the five detainees who have links to the UK as former residents, having been granted refugee status, indefinite leave or exceptional leave to remain prior to their detention."
The statement added: "Our representations are limited to those with links to the United Kingdom as evidenced by their past lawful residence here."
The Foreign Office cautioned that the release and return of the men may take some time.
"The Government will, of course, continue to take all necessary measures to maintain national security. Should these men be returned to the UK, the same security considerations and actions will apply to them as would apply to any other foreign national in this country," the statement said.
