PARIS, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- The French Foreign Ministry confirmed Tuesday the arrival of a second Guantanamo detainee, Saber Lahmar of Algeria, on French territory.

    "Mr Lahmar has been cleared of all charges related to terrorist groups by juridical decisions of several countries, including the United States, which ordered his release," the ministry said in a statement.

    The ministry said France's decision to host Lahmar marked its support for the efforts of the U.S. President Barack Obama to close the prison camp at Guantanamo in Cuba.

    Lahmar, 39, was arrested in Bosnia in late 2001 and ordered released in November 2008 due to insufficient evidence. After seven years' prison life in Guantanamo, he "can at last resume a normal life," the ministry said.

    The first detainee taken in by France was another Algerian, Lakhdar Boumediene, who was transferred in May. He now lives in France with his wife and two daughters.

    Former U.S. President George W. Bush's administration established the prison camp at Guantanamo in January 2002 to confine terrorism suspects. The harsh interrogation techniques and lack of judicial processes attracted criticism from the international community.

    After being sworn in as the new president, Obama vowed to close the prison within a year and tried to persuade allies to resettle the prisoners.