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Binyam Mohamed Leaves Gitmo Today

By Jeralyn, Section Terror Detainees
Posted on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 08:19:38 AM EST
Tags: Binyam Mohamed (all tags)
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Binyam Mohamed will be flown to Great Britain today, his six year ordeal at Guantanamo and prisons in Morocco, Pakistan and Afghanistan finally over.

Mohamed, who left Ethiopia for Britain in 1994 and studied engineering in London, was arrested in Pakistan in 2002 and transferred to Guantanamo in 2004. He was accused by the U.S. of being an unlawful enemy combatant who conspired to commit acts of terrorism. U.S. prosecutors dropped the charges in October.

[More...]

Mohamed was unshackled and changed out of an orange jumpsuit before boarding a plane that was scheduled to refuel in Bermuda before reaching the U.K., Sky News reported. A doctor, a detective from London’s Metropolitan Police force and two Foreign Office officials are with him.

On his claims of torture,

Mohamed, 30, said he was arrested in Pakistan on a visa violation and handed to U.S. officials. He claimed he was held in Pakistan for four months before being secretly sent by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency to Morocco, where he was tortured for 18 months, with U.K. officials supplying the questions used by the Moroccan torturers. In 2004, he alleged, he was sent to Afghanistan, where his torture continued. He was then moved to Guantanamo Bay.

British authorities say he "“given every opportunity to integrate himself back into society.”

Our prior coverage of his case is here.

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    Binyam Mohamed Leaves Gitmo Today | 3 comments (3 topical)

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    Andy Worthington (5.00 / 2) (#1)
    by lilburro on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 08:25:01 AM EST
    has a letter Binyam wrote for today here.

    His physical ordeal may be over, but (none / 0) (#2)
    by No Blood for Hubris on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 03:11:35 PM EST
    his PTSD symptoms will most likely now increase.

    Hope he finds a competent clinician.  Even if he does, will the US and UK government pay for treatment of the injuries they caused?  I'm thinking -- not so much.

    I think Mohamed will certainly sue (none / 0) (#3)
    by lilburro on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 05:15:02 PM EST
    to ensure that they do.  Also, I gather from this piece that under international law the US is legally obligated to provide compensation to victims of torture if the torture was US sponsored.  But...under international law we're legally obligated to do a lot that we don't.  So.

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    Binyam Mohamed Leaves Gitmo Today | 3 comments (3 topical)

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