Supergrasses Two Men Whose Testimonies Incriminated a Quarter of All Detainees

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Supergrasses Two Men Whose Testimonies Incriminated a Quarter of All Detainees * * Supergrasses Two men whose testimonies incriminated a quarter of all detainees ◀ Mohammed Basardah ◀ Abu Zubaydah YM-252 GZ-10016 A 37-year-old Yemeni who One of Guantánamo’s most lived in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, controversial inmates. where his file says he was Believed by the US to be a jailed for cannabis trafficking senior al-Qaida leader tasked and car theft. Captured in with forming a ‘martyr’s Pakistan in December 2001, brigade’ to launch a terrorist allegedly as part of a group of campaign in Afghanistan and fighters fleeing from the Tora overseas. Described by the Bora mountains US and others as having faced the most extensive enhanced interrogation techniques, including repeated waterboarding 104 123 Number of other prisoners he testified about Number of other prisoners he testified about ▲ Younis Abdurrahman ▲ Uthman Al-Rahim YM-27 ▲ Bisher Al-Rawi IZ-906 ▲ Said bin Brahim bin ▲ Aziz Abdul Naji AG-744 ▲ Ahmad Abdel Qader Chekkou MO-197 Yemeni. “A Bin Laden British resident. Accused by Umran Bakhush AG-685 Claimed he lost a leg Ahmad Hasan Abu Bakr Moroccan. “The military bodyguard seen eating with Basardah of being involved Zubaydah claims he is a key carrying out charity work; YM-690 Zubaydah linked leader on the frontlines ... Bin Laden,” according to in al-Qaida recruiting ‘triggerman’ who received in Zubaydah’s testimony, him to another Yemeni the big commander for Basardah operations in England specialised terror training; he lost it during training detainee associated with Bin Laden,” said Basardah Bakhush denies this in Afghanistan the martyrs’ brigade ▲ Shaker Aamer SA-239 ▲ Abdul Latif MO-244 ▲ Ravil Mingazov RS-702 Sharaf Ahmad Muhammad British resident. Basardah Moroccan. In Basardah’s Zubaydah’s testimony Masud YM-170 called him “one of Osama words, “one of Bin Laden’s was used to suggest that ‘A Tunisian with Italian bin Laden’s more significant most important military Russians and Tajiks received connections,’ Zubaydah operatives” advisers” No way out A detainee at Guantánamo Bay. Basardah appears to have identified many prisoners from training in “assassinations said, but Yemeni according photographs, claiming individuals were Bin Laden’s bodyguards, or al-Qaida trained Photograph: Getty and explosives” at his camp to al-Qaida documents.
Recommended publications
  • Who Is Shaker Aamer? Crt Briefing, 9 February 2015
    BRITAIN’S LAST GUANTÁNAMO DETAINEE: WHO IS SHAKER AAMER? CRT BRIEFING, 9 FEBRUARY 2015 INTRODUCTION It is UK government policy that Shaker Aamer, the last remaining British resident detained at Guantánamo Bay, be returned. In December 2014, newspaper stories emerged suggesting that this could soon be the case.1 At a meeting in Washington, DC, a month later, President Obama told Prime Minister David Cameron that the US would “prioritise” the case.2 Aamer, who was born in Saudi Arabia, was captured in Afghanistan in November 2001; he was sent to Guantánamo Bay in February 2002. The US government believes him to be a weapons-trained al- Qaeda fighter; Aamer’s supporters claim that he was in Afghanistan to carry out voluntary work for an Islamic charity.3 Aamer is thought to have been cleared for transfer to Saudi Arabia in June 2007 (although, as late as November 2007, Department of Defense documentation recommended that he continue to be 1 ‘Guantanamo to free last UK inmate’, The Sunday Times, 28 December 2014, available at: http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/National/article1500831.ece?CMP=OTH-gnws-standard-2014_12_27, last visited: 29 January 2015; see also: ‘Last British inmate at Guantanamo set to be freed in the new year in fresh push by Obama to empty prison’, Daily Mail, 28 December 2014, available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2888964/Last-British- inmate-Guantanamo-set-freed-new-year-fresh-push-Obama-prison.html, last visited: 29 January 2015. 2 ‘Barack Obama to “prioritise” case of Guantánamo detainee Shaker Aamer’, The Guardian, 16 January 2015, available at: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jan/16/shaker-aamer-guantanamo-bay-prioritise-obama-case, last visited: 29 January 2015.
    [Show full text]
  • Guantanamo, Torture & Indefinite Detention
    INTRODUCTION Dear Friend, March 1, 2012 Thank you for joining Amnesty International in taking action against Guantanamo, indefinite detention, torture and other human rights violations committed by the US government in the name of national security. These abuses are immoral and illegal under US and international law, and--according to military and security experts--ineffective and counterproductive. There is a better alternative: security with human rights. Under international law, human rights violations--whether by armed groups or states--must end, those responsible must be held accountable, and the rights of victims must be fulfilled. Human rights mean security and justice for all of us. And I'm not the only one saying it. Military personnel, September 11th family members and people of many religious faiths and political beliefs are coming together to say enough is enough and demand that states and armed groups respect human rights. It's up to us, the people, to demand it. Right now, our strategy is to focus on two important cases that illustrate all that is wrong with the US government’s approach to national security: Shaker Aamer, a UK resident in his 10th year of indefinite detention at Guantanamo and Maher Arar, who was kidnapped by the US and sent to Syria to be tortured. By focusing our activism on these two cases and spreading the word about the America we believe in, we can make progress toward closing Guantanamo and ensuring that the US never again uses torture or other ill-treatment. We need to show President Obama, his Administration and Congress that citizens demand an end to human rights violations--as well as accountability for them--by being visible in the streets, online and in the media.
    [Show full text]
  • Unclassified//For Public Release Unclassified//For Public Release
    UNCLASSIFIED//FOR PUBLIC RELEASE --SESR-Efll-N0F0RN-­ Final Dispositions as of January 22, 2010 Guantanamo Review Dispositions Country ISN Name Decision of Origin AF 4 Abdul Haq Wasiq Continued detention pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force (2001), as informed by principles of the laws of war. AF 6 Mullah Norullah Noori Continued detention pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force (2001), as informed by principles of the laws of war. AF 7 Mullah Mohammed Fazl Continued detention pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force (2001 ), as informed by principles of the laws of war. AF 560 Haji Wali Muhammed Continued detention pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force (2001 ), as informed by principles of the laws of war, subject to further review by the Principals prior to the detainee's transfer to a detention facility in the United States. AF 579 Khairullah Said Wali Khairkhwa Continued detention pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force (2001), as informed by principles of the laws of war. AF 753 Abdul Sahir Referred for prosecution. AF 762 Obaidullah Referred for prosecution. AF 782 Awai Gui Continued detention pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force (2001), as informed by principles of the laws of war. AF 832 Mohammad Nabi Omari Continued detention pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force (2001 ), as informed by principles of the laws of war. AF 850 Mohammed Hashim Transfer to a country outside the United States that will implement appropriate security measures. AF 899 Shawali Khan Transfer to • subject to appropriate security measures.
    [Show full text]
  • Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law — Volume 18, 2015 Correspondents’ Reports
    YEARBOOK OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW — VOLUME 18, 2015 CORRESPONDENTS’ REPORTS 1 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Contents Overview – United States Enforcement of International Humanitarian Law ............................ 1 Cases – United States Federal Court .......................................................................................... 3 Cases – United States Military Courts – Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (CAAF) ...... 4 Cases — United States Military Courts – United States Army ................................................. 4 Cases — United States Military Courts – United States Marine Corps .................................... 5 Issues — United States Department of Defense ........................................................................ 6 Issues — United States Army .................................................................................................... 8 Issues —United States Navy .................................................................................................... 11 Issues — United States Marine Corps ..................................................................................... 12 Overview – United States Detention Practice .......................................................................... 12 Detainee Challenges – United States District Court ................................................................ 13 US Military Commission Appeals ........................................................................................... 16 Court of Appeals for the
    [Show full text]
  • FOIA) Document Clearinghouse in the World
    This document is made available through the declassification efforts and research of John Greenewald, Jr., creator of: The Black Vault The Black Vault is the largest online Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) document clearinghouse in the world. The research efforts here are responsible for the declassification of hundreds of thousands of pages released by the U.S. Government & Military. Discover the Truth at: http://www.theblackvault.com Received Received Request ID Requester Name Organization Closed Date Final Disposition Request Description Mode Date 17-F-0001 Greenewald, John The Black Vault PAL 10/3/2016 11/4/2016 Granted/Denied in Part I respectfully request a copy of records, electronic or otherwise, of all contracts past and present, that the DOD / OSD / JS has had with the British PR firm Bell Pottinger. Bell Pottinger Private (legally BPP Communications Ltd.; informally Bell Pottinger) is a British multinational public relations and marketing company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. 17-F-0002 Palma, Bethania - PAL 10/3/2016 11/4/2016 Other Reasons - No Records Contracts with Bell Pottinger for information operations and psychological operations. (Date Range for Record Search: From 01/01/2007 To 12/31/2011) 17-F-0003 Greenewald, John The Black Vault Mail 10/3/2016 1/13/2017 Other Reasons - Not a proper FOIA I respectfully request a copy of the Intellipedia category index page for the following category: request for some other reason Nuclear Weapons Glossary 17-F-0004 Jackson, Brian - Mail 10/3/2016 - - I request a copy of any available documents related to Army Intelligence's participation in an FBI counterintelligence source operation beginning in about 1959, per David Wise book, "Cassidy's Run," under the following code names: ZYRKSEEZ SHOCKER I am also interested in obtaining Army Intelligence documents authorizing, as well as policy documents guiding, the use of an Army source in an FBI operation.
    [Show full text]
  • The FCO's Human Rights Work in 2012
    House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee The FCO’s human rights work in 2012 Fourth Report of Session 2013–14 Volume II Additional written evidence Ordered by the House of Commons to be published 8 October 2013 Published on 17 October 2013 by authority of the House of Commons London: The Stationery Office Limited The Foreign Affairs Committee The Foreign Affairs Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and its associated agencies. Current membership Richard Ottaway (Conservative, Croydon South) (Chair) Mr John Baron (Conservative, Basildon and Billericay) Rt Hon Sir Menzies Campbell (Liberal Democrat, North East Fife) Rt Hon Ann Clwyd (Labour, Cynon Valley) Mike Gapes (Labour/Co-op, Ilford South) Mark Hendrick (Labour/Co-op, Preston) Sandra Osborne (Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock) Andrew Rosindell (Conservative, Romford) Mr Frank Roy (Labour, Motherwell and Wishaw) Rt Hon Sir John Stanley (Conservative, Tonbridge and Malling) Rory Stewart (Conservative, Penrith and The Border) The following Members were also members of the Committee during the parliament: Rt Hon Bob Ainsworth (Labour, Coventry North East) Emma Reynolds (Labour, Wolverhampton North East) Mr Dave Watts (Labour, St Helens North) Powers The Committee is one of the departmental select committees, the powers of which are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 152. These are available on the internet via www.parliament.uk. Publication The Reports and evidence of the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications of the Committee (including news items) are on the internet at www.parliament.uk/facom.
    [Show full text]
  • El Viaje De La Muerte”1
    Informe de la ONG británica Reprieve que sacó del anonimato muchas historias de presos de Guantánamo y cómo EEUU los compró “El viaje de la muerte”1 Más de 700 prisioneros fueron enviados ilegalmente a Guantánamo con la ayuda de Portugal Reprieve, 28 de enero de 2008 Traducido del inglés para Rebelión por Germán Leyens La organización británica Reprieve muestra de modo concluyente que territorio y espacio aéreo portugueses han sido utilizados para transferir a más de 700 prisioneros para ser torturados y encarcelados ilegalmente en Guantánamo. Mediante la comparación de registros de vuelo obtenidos de las autoridades portuguesas,2información del Departamento de Defensa de EE.UU. mostrando fechas de llegada de prisioneros a Guantánamo, y testimonios no confidenciales de los propios prisioneros, 3 Reprieve puede identificar por primera vez a 728 prisioneros enviados a Guantánamo pasando por la jurisdicción portuguesa. La investigación también muestra que Portugal ha jugado un papel sustancial de apoyo en el programa general de entregas [‘extraordinarias’]. Por lo menos nueve prisioneros transportados pasando por la jurisdicción portuguesa fueron severamente torturados en prisiones secretas en todo el mundo antes de su llegada a Guantánamo.4 Vuelos de entregas de prisioneros a Guantánamo pasando por jurisdicción 1 Definición de Adil Zamil, prisionero transportado en el Vuelo RCH108Y que pasó por jurisdicción portuguesa hacia Guantánamo: “Llamo el viaje a Guantánamo ‘El viaje de la muerte.’ Discretamente estuve deseando que el avión se cayera para terminar con el dolor que sentía.” Fuente: “Kuwaiti Gitmo Detainees Speak Out about Abuse” [Detenidos en Guantánamo hablan del abuso], de Rania El Gamal, Kuwait Times, 1 de diciembre de 2006 2 Registros de vuelo obtenidos por Ana Gomes, miembro del Parlamento Europeo, en 2006 revelan que aviones cruzaron en por lo menos 94 ocasiones el espacio aéreo portugués en camino a, o desde, Guantánamo entre 2002 y 2006.
    [Show full text]
  • Human Rights and Democracy: the 2014 Foreign & Hrdreport.Fco.Gov.Uk Commonwealth Office Report
    Human Rights and Democracy: The 2014 Foreign & hrdreport.fco.gov.uk Commonwealth Office Report Human Rights and Democracy: The 2014 Foreign & Commonwealth Office Report 1 Human Rights and Democracy: The 2014 Foreign & Commonwealth Office Report Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by Command of Her Majesty March 2015 Cm 9027 2 Human Rights and Democracy: The 2014 Foreign & Commonwealth Office Report © Crown copyright 2015 This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected]. Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. This publication is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at: Communications Team, Human Rights and Democracy Department, Room WH.1.203, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, King Charles Street, London, SW1A 2AH Print ISBN 9781474114875 Web ISBN 9781474114882 ID P002702621 03/15 Printed on paper containing 75% recycled fibre content minimum Printed in the UK by the Williams Lea Group on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office Cover: Iraqi Yezidis flee to surrounding mountains across the border into Turkey Photo: Huseyin Bagis/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Contents 3 Contents Executive Summary ..................................................................................... 8 Foreword by Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond .......................................10 Foreword by Minister for Human Rights Baroness Anelay .........................12 CHAPTER I: Protecting Civil Society Space and Human Rights Defenders ..15 The Current State of Civil Society Space ................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Current Detainee Population of Guantánamo: an Empirical Study
    © Reuters/HO Old – Detainees at XRay Camp in Guantanamo. The Current Detainee Population of Guantánamo: An Empirical Study Benjamin Wittes and Zaahira Wyne with Erin Miller, Julia Pilcer, and Georgina Druce December 16, 2008 The Current Detainee Population of Guantánamo: An Empiricial Study Table of Contents Executive Summary 1 Introduction 3 The Public Record about Guantánamo 4 Demographic Overview 6 Government Allegations 9 Detainee Statements 13 Conclusion 22 Note on Sources and Methods 23 About the Authors 28 Endnotes 29 Appendix I: Detainees at Guantánamo 46 Appendix II: Detainees Not at Guantánamo 66 Appendix III: Sample Habeas Records 89 Sample 1 90 Sample 2 93 Sample 3 96 The Current Detainee Population of Guantánamo: An Empiricial Study EXECUTIVE SUMMARY he following report represents an effort both to document and to describe in as much detail as the public record will permit the current detainee population in American T military custody at the Guantánamo Bay Naval Station in Cuba. Since the military brought the first detainees to Guantánamo in January 2002, the Pentagon has consistently refused to comprehensively identify those it holds. While it has, at various times, released information about individuals who have been detained at Guantánamo, it has always maintained ambiguity about the population of the facility at any given moment, declining even to specify precisely the number of detainees held at the base. We have sought to identify the detainee population using a variety of records, mostly from habeas corpus litigation, and we have sorted the current population into subgroups using both the government’s allegations against detainees and detainee statements about their own affiliations and conduct.
    [Show full text]
  • Petitioner Shaker Aamer Respectfully Files This Emergency Motion to Lift
    Case 1:04-cv-02215-RMC Document 58 Filed 09/26/2006 Page 1 of 17 PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED TO CSO AND CLEARED FOR PUBLIC FILING IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SHAKER AAMER, ) ) Petitioner/Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) Civ. No. 04-cv-2215 (RMC) ) GEORGE W. BUSH, et al., ) ) Respondents/Defendants. ) __________________________________________) MOTION TO LIFT STAY AND FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION ENFORCING GENEVA CONVENTIONS Petitioner Shaker Aamer respectfully files this motion to lift the stay in this case and enter a preliminary injunction enforcing the Geneva Conventions.1 Mr. Aamer has been held in complete isolation for the past 360 days. Guards have beaten Mr. Aamer, deprived him of sleep, subjected him to temperature extremes and cut off ventilation in his cell. He has not had any contact with any fellow prisoners for months. He has not seen the sun for many weeks. He is not being treated humanely. This is a clear violation of Common Article Three of the Geneva Conventions. Mr. Aamer must be removed from isolation. Counsel has now had information about Mr. Aamer declassified, immediately brought it to the attention of the Guantánamo authorities in writing without response, and thus is bringing this motion urgently. In the interim, Counsel raised the matter on two occasions with base personnel. Yet, when Counsel for Mr. Aamer visited Guantánamo Bay on September 12, Mr. 1 Petitioner believes the stay should be lifted entirely in this case. However, at minimum, the Court should lift the stay for the limited purpose of ordering the requested injunction. 1 Case 1:04-cv-02215-RMC Document 58 Filed 09/26/2006 Page 2 of 17 PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED TO CSO AND CLEARED FOR PUBLIC FILING Aamer was apparently still living in the same isolated cell in Camp Echo; unfortunately, counsel was not able to meet with Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • Transcript of the Spoken Word, Rather Than Written Prose
    THE GUANTÁNAMO BAY ORAL HISTORY PROJECT The Reminiscences of Asim Qureshi Columbia Center for Oral History Columbia University 2011 PREFACE The following oral history is the result of a recorded interview with Asim Qureshi conducted by Ronald J. Grele and Kanishk Tharoor on May 30, 2011. This interview is part of the Guantánamo Bay Oral History Project. The reader is asked to bear in mind that s/he is reading a verbatim transcript of the spoken word, rather than written prose. 3PM Session One Interviewee: Asim Qureshi Location: London, United Kingdom Interviewer: Ronald J. Grele and Kanishk Tharoor Date: May 30, 2011 Qureshi: Who is leading the questions? Q: As I said, for the first part, we want to ask you about your early life. Who are you? Where are you from? Maybe not back to five years old, but around there, if you could tell us a bit about yourself. Qureshi: My name is Asim Qureshi. I am the Executive Director of Cageprisoners. In terms of my background, it depends on how far you want me to go back. I originally come from a Pakistani background. Both my parents are Pakistani. My dad was from a city called Faisalabad, what during colonialism was known as Lyallpur, after the colonialists. My mother was from one of the major cities, Lahore. My dad came here somewhere in the 1970s along with the rest of his family. The whole of my dad's side of the family have lived in the UK [United Kingdom] for many years. They are first generation immigrants.
    [Show full text]
  • États-Unis Guantánamo : Une Décénnie D'atteintes Aux Droits Humains Dix Messages Contraires Aux Droits Humains Que Guantánamo Continue D'adresser Au Monde
    ÉTATS-UNIS GUANTÁNAMO : UNE DÉCÉNNIE D'ATTEINTES AUX DROITS HUMAINS DIX MESSAGES CONTRAIRES AUX DROITS HUMAINS QUE GUANTÁNAMO CONTINUE D'ADRESSER AU MONDE Amnesty International Publications Première publication en décembre 2011 par Amnesty International Publications Secrétariat international Peter Benenson House 1 Easton Street Londres WC1X 0DW Royaume-Uni www.amnesty.org Amnesty International Publications 2011 Index : AMR 51/103/2011 French Original : Anglais Imprimé par Amnesty International, Secrétariat international, Royaume-Uni Tous droits réservés. Cette publication ne peut faire l'objet, en tout ou en partie, d'aucune forme de reproduction, d'archivage ou de transmission, quels que soient les moyens utilisés (électroniques, mécaniques, par photocopie, par enregistrement ou autres), sans l'accord préalable des éditeurs. Amnesty International est un mouvement mondial regroupant 3 millions de personnes, qui se mobilisent en faveur des droits humains dans plus de 150 pays et territoires. La vision d'Amnesty International est celle d'un monde où chacun peut se prévaloir de tous les droits énoncés dans la Déclaration universelle des droits de l'homme et dans d'autres textes internationaux. Nous menons des recherches, lançons des actions, assurons une mission de défense et de mobilisation afin de faire cesser toutes les atteintes aux droits humains. Essentiellement financée par ses membres et les dons de particuliers, Amnesty International est indépendante de tout gouvernement, de toute tendance politique, de toute puissance économique
    [Show full text]