06 October 2007
He was an important man with Al-Qaeda who used to make Bin Laden's food. Ali Mohammed Nasser was arrested in 2001 and sent to Guantanamo Bay prison where he was detained for five years. Yet, after more than 16 months of nationality confusion, Nasser has finally returned to Yemen. Only he is again in detention with another four, indefinitely.
Nasser joined another four Yemenis who had been at Guantanamo until they were handed over by US security to Yemen over four months ago and are still detained at the political security prison.
"Either charge them or release them, keeping them this way is illegal by all national and international laws," said Khaled Al-Anisi executive director of Yemeni human rights organization known as HOOD.
On 30 September, The Department of Defense announced the transfer of eight detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Six detainees were transferred to Afghanistan, and one each to Libya and Yemen. The names of the eight men were not released nor was the reason for their detention. The US defense department said these detainees became eligible for transfer following what the U.S. government calls, "a comprehensive series of review processes conducted at Guantanamo". It added that transfer is a demonstration of the United States' desire not to hold detainees any longer than necessary.
It wasn't confirmed that Nasser was the Yemeni detainee returned to Yemen until a delegation from Amnesty International confirmed the government's statement last week that detainee Ali Mohammad Nasser has returned to Yemen. Nasser's nationality had been in question prior to his return to Yemen as he was born in Saudi Arabia and has family in Jedda. Dr. Lamri Chirouf and Mohammad Lotfy of AI who are currently in Yemen met with three of the five detainees at the political security prison yesterday, Oct 3 and confirmed they are in good health and are not subjected to bad treatment while in Yemeni prisons.
"The previous four had been allowed visits from their family every week. However we don't know if the latest comer has has any visitors yet," said Lutfy.
Minister of Justice promised their cases will be investigated post Eid holidays which will be mid October. So far there are no particular accusations and the detainees are in prison without being charged of anything.
Nationality confusion
May 18, 2006, was the day scheduled for Nasser to leave Guantanamo. At that time, U.S. military classified him as Saudi, as he was born in Saudi Arabia. However, Saudi government said despite he was born in KSA, Nasser does not hold the Saudi passport. Because of his parents being from Yemen, Nasser was finally acknowledged as Yemeni. He also holds a Yemeni passport, grew up in Yemen and it was here where went to school.
Nasser confessed that when was eighteen years old, he traveled to Afghanistan, where he worked as a cook for the Taliban. In 2001, and during the American attack on Afghanistan, he escaped to Pakistan where he was arrested and handed over to US military.
Nasser who was described in US newspapers as the Yemeni with curly black hair, remained stuck in "a limbo of mistaken identities, bureaucratic inertia and official neglect". It wasn't until a few days ago that he was released and joined other X-Gountanamo detainees in Yemen.
"It's a crime and against the Yemeni law to put people in custody for more than forty eight hours without charges," said lawyer and human activist Ahmed Arman. He referred to the other four Yemeni Gitmo's retunees who arrived Yemen on June and are still in prison without charges or trail.
They are Fwaz Noman Mahdi, Ali Muhssen Saleh, Hani Abdo Musleh Shulan, and Saqdk Mohmmed Said.
In 2005 and 2006 Yemen received several Yemeni citizens from the Guantanamo Bay Prison and put some of them on trial. None were charged with terrorism-related activities.
Yemen is the country with the most prisoners at Guantanamo: The figure is 97. So far only 13 of the original 107 have been returned.
Dr. Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi Minister of Foreign Affairs insisted that Yemen wants its citizens back from Guantanamo, despite US presidential statements a few months ago that said otherwise.
He was an important man with Al-Qaeda who used to make Bin Laden's food. Ali Mohammed Nasser was arrested in 2001 and sent to Guantanamo Bay prison where he was detained for five years. Yet, after more than 16 months of nationality confusion, Nasser has finally returned to Yemen. Only he is again in detention with another four, indefinitely.
SANA'A - Ali Mohammed Nasser, was released from Guantanamo Bay prison four days ago only to be detained again at the Yemeni political security prison indefinitely.
Nasser joined another four Yemenis who had been at Guantanamo until they were handed over by US security to Yemen over four months ago and are still detained at the political security prison.
"Either charge them or release them, keeping them this way is illegal by all national and international laws," said Khaled Al-Anisi executive director of Yemeni human rights organization known as HOOD.
On 30 September, The Department of Defense announced the transfer of eight detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Six detainees were transferred to Afghanistan, and one each to Libya and Yemen. The names of the eight men were not released nor was the reason for their detention. The US defense department said these detainees became eligible for transfer following what the U.S. government calls, "a comprehensive series of review processes conducted at Guantanamo". It added that transfer is a demonstration of the United States' desire not to hold detainees any longer than necessary.
It wasn't confirmed that Nasser was the Yemeni detainee returned to Yemen until a delegation from Amnesty International confirmed the government's statement last week that detainee Ali Mohammad Nasser has returned to Yemen. Nasser's nationality had been in question prior to his return to Yemen as he was born in Saudi Arabia and has family in Jedda. Dr. Lamri Chirouf and Mohammad Lotfy of AI who are currently in Yemen met with three of the five detainees at the political security prison yesterday, Oct 3 and confirmed they are in good health and are not subjected to bad treatment while in Yemeni prisons.
"The previous four had been allowed visits from their family every week. However we don't know if the latest comer has has any visitors yet," said Lutfy.
Minister of Justice promised their cases will be investigated post Eid holidays which will be mid October. So far there are no particular accusations and the detainees are in prison without being charged of anything.
Nationality confusion
May 18, 2006, was the day scheduled for Nasser to leave Guantanamo. At that time, U.S. military classified him as Saudi, as he was born in Saudi Arabia. However, Saudi government said despite he was born in KSA, Nasser does not hold the Saudi passport. Because of his parents being from Yemen, Nasser was finally acknowledged as Yemeni. He also holds a Yemeni passport, grew up in Yemen and it was here where went to school.
Nasser confessed that when was eighteen years old, he traveled to Afghanistan, where he worked as a cook for the Taliban. In 2001, and during the American attack on Afghanistan, he escaped to Pakistan where he was arrested and handed over to US military.
Nasser who was described in US newspapers as the Yemeni with curly black hair, remained stuck in "a limbo of mistaken identities, bureaucratic inertia and official neglect". It wasn't until a few days ago that he was released and joined other X-Gountanamo detainees in Yemen.
"It's a crime and against the Yemeni law to put people in custody for more than forty eight hours without charges," said lawyer and human activist Ahmed Arman. He referred to the other four Yemeni Gitmo's retunees who arrived Yemen on June and are still in prison without charges or trail.
They are Fwaz Noman Mahdi, Ali Muhssen Saleh, Hani Abdo Musleh Shulan, and Saqdk Mohmmed Said.
In 2005 and 2006 Yemen received several Yemeni citizens from the Guantanamo Bay Prison and put some of them on trial. None were charged with terrorism-related activities.
Yemen is the country with the most prisoners at Guantanamo: The figure is 97. So far only 13 of the original 107 have been returned.
Dr. Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi Minister of Foreign Affairs insisted that Yemen wants its citizens back from Guantanamo, despite US presidential statements a few months ago that said otherwise.
By Amel Al-Ariqi
© Yemen Times 2007
