Brian Glendinning’s emotional reunion with family at Edinburgh Airport
Brian was welcomed home this morning at Edinburgh’s airport in an emotional reunion with his loving family and friends.
He was met by his mother, Meta; his wife, Kimberly; daughters Heidi and Lexi; and his brothers John and Lee at Edinburgh after returning to Scotland on a flight from Istanbul.
Brian told reporters“I just didn’t think this time was coming anytime soon.”
“I’m now back where I belong with my family and my friends.
“It’s just the emotions. I didn’t think I was going to be here anytime soon.”
He thanked all those who had supported him and worked to get him freed, including Interpol and extradition crisis manager Radha Stirling, and Douglas Chapman, the MP for Dunfermline and West Fife, who was also at the airport to greet him.
“If it wasn’t for the support from everybody back home, my family and my friends, Douglas Chapman, Radha Stirling, I would still have been there,” Mr Glendinning said.
“To be honest, I think I would have been on my way to Qatar and it wouldn’t have been for the World Cup.
“It’s just time to get home and get to the barbers.”
Stirling added “This is the moment we have been working towards the past five weeks and we’re incredibly relieved to see him back on UK soil.
“Brian is going to take some time to rest and recuperate with his family before telling the world about the horrific experience he was forced to endure at the hands of Qatar, a country who has spent a fortune portraying itself as a tolerant society.
“Once Brian has rested, we intend to push for British safeguards and to hold Qatar to account for the repeated abuse of our citizens”.
World Cup visitors are urged to download "emergency help app" due to the volatility of Qatar law enforcement: