A German citizen who says he was abducted by the CIA and abused in a secret prison in Afghanistan brought his case to Washington on Tuesday to demand an explanation and apology, adding to mounting pressure on the Bush administration to give up its “extraordinary rendition” programme.

“I simply want to have my old way of living back and to feel secure again. That’s the reason I am here,” Khaled el-Masri said, protesting his innocence and expressing confidence in the US legal system.