A BURNLEY man captured in Afghanistan while fighting for the Taliban has spoken about his ordeal and revealed he never meant to get involved in the country's civil war.

Anwar Khan, 25, was caught by the Taliban's main opposition group, the Northern Alliance, a year ago and has been in jail ever since.

He had left the UK in February 1998 on a month's holiday to see family in Pakistan.

However, after a few months he went to a military training centre run by the Taliban in Kabul to learn how to use a gun after taking an interest in them while in Pakistan.

He claims he was forced to fight and now just wants to come back to Lancashire, claiming the mess he is in currently is much worse than the drug, domestic and police difficulties he had faced in Burnley.

Speaking on Radio 4, Mr Khan said: "I didn't intend to come and fight, I just wanted to keep away from the drugs and rehabilitate myself.

"Guns were a hobby. I liked ammunitions and bullets but hadn't had the chance to use them because I lived in England. I knew I could go to Afghanistan or Pakistan to learn.

"I didn't intend to work with the Taliban, I just came to train.

"Afghanistan was like a free camp where you could come and learn and then go. But for me, I didn't leave because I was gripped by the wrists and sent to the frontline."

Mr Khan was only informed about the American atrocities this week by Western journalists allowed to speak to him.

He said: "I am not a terrorist. I just want to go home."

His family in Burnley are reported to have been unhappy at his military training but hope to see him again one day.

The Foreign Office is working towards Mr Khan's release, a government spokesman said this week.