An Australian man accused of terrorism in Saudi Arabia says he never believed he would be made to serve his full four year jail term, after being granted clemency and flying back to Perth.
Shayden Thorne was sentenced last May to four-and-a-half years' jail in Saudi Arabia for encouraging terrorism.
He was arrested in November 2011 after a laptop, which his family claims was borrowed from a mosque, allegedly had extremist material on it.
Speaking to NITV, Mr Thorne said he always thought he would be granted clemency.
"I felt there was no way I was going to finish my sentence," Mr Thorne said.
Through his family, Mr Thorne had claimed he only confessed after being tortured, but made no mention of mistreatment in the interview.
He said sharing a cell with six others, and being permitted just one visit a month, was hard.
"I am in a cell four walls, six people they are the only faces I see," Mr Thorne said.
"I am just waiting for a visit, so when my family comes it is really touching."
Thorne's brother, Junaid, was deported from Saudi Arabia last July.
He had been in hiding after his passport was confiscated because he was protesting against Shayden's detention.
The brothers lived in Saudi Arabia for more than 10 years, but had kept their Australian citizenship.
Mr Thorne said he now intended to stay in Australia.
"I have been away from Perth for 16 years, so it is time to settle," Mr Thorne said.
"What has happened in the past I have to get over it and continue life."
