Youngest Gitmo detainee released

This news article comes from the English Al-Jazeera news website.

Chadian released from Guantanamo

US political parties oppose resettling on US soil Guantanamo detainees cleared for release [EPA]

A Chadian national held for more than seven years at the US prison facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has been released and sent to his home country.

The US department of justice said Mohammad al-Qurani arrived in Chad on Thursday while a second released man from Iraq, Jawad Jabber Sadkhan, was sent home to Iraq on Wednesday.

Al-Qurani, sometimes referred to as al-Gharani, was cleared of all charges by a US judge in January.

The Chadian national was one of the youngest gitmo detainee. He was arrested at the age of 14 and taken to gitmo where he was tortured, physically and racially abused, sleep deprived and tear gassed in his cell. He was kept captive for 7 years without a trial. In a statement his lawyer says:

Al-Qurani's lawyer, Zachary Katznelson, told Al Jazeera that the mistreatment had continued throughout January and February this year and included beatings, sleep deprivation and racial abuse.

"At no point was there are real attempt [by US authorities] to get to the bottom of this case [and] to show that he really was an innocent kid, which is what he has been the whole time," Katznelson said.

I don't know how anyone can support a place like gitmo, or this illegal war, etc. when stories like these come up.

I remember when i was 14, I can't even begin to imagine the impact this will have on this man's life. 7 years is a long time to be in a place like gitmo. If he beomces a terrorist after this, I would not blame him, the US gov. would be completely at fault IMO.

Linky

Originally posted by silencer
He was arrested at the age of 14 and taken to gitmo where he was tortured, physically and racially abused, sleep deprived and tear gassed in his cell.

Got any credible proof of that? Nope. Didn't think so.

Next time he decides to be a terrorist he might think twice.

Then again, many of the other terrorists who were released just end up
back on the battlefield killing civlians and coalition soldiers.

Chances are they have created a terroist form a mild mannered muslim boy.
who will grow up and want vengance for what America had done to him.

Originally posted by MR BOB
Chances are they have created a terroist form a mild mannered muslim boy.

No. Chances are that we caught a terrorist on the battlefield and he just happened to be 14 at the time. And now that he's released, he'll go back to being a terrorist again.

reply to post by FlyersFan


Do you have any credible proof that he is a terrorist? Nope, didn't think so.

So from your logic I can assume that you condone the capture of people without trial and without proof of guilt just so you can feel 'secure' at home. Bravo.

Originally posted by FlyersFan

No. Chances are that we caught a terrorist on the battlefield and he just happened to be 14 at the time. And now that he's released, he'll go back to being a terrorist again.

I love how you put a big laugh smiley before you begin to say 'Chances are....'

Let me break it down for you. It's a not a funny matter when a young boys life is involved out of which he has already lost 7 years. Secondly, you start with 'chances are....'. If we started prosecuting people just because 'chances are..' they killed someone, stole, cheated, etc. then the Law would be a bigger joke than it is right. And it would a angry smiley kinda joke, not a big laugh kind.

Hypothetically; Iran arrests young 14 yr old American and tortures him and jails him for 7 years without trial. The whole world would be up in arms and people would be rioting all over.

reply to post by FlyersFan

try to look at the world from their eyes, man. A lot of these peope Live in a battlefield, must be freaking terrifying.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
Chances are that we caught a terrorist on the battlefield

Chances are you are wrong.

Arrested in Pakistan in October 2001, aged only around 14, al-Qurani was one of the youngest Guantanamo detainees in the facility.

I didn't know we were at war with Pakistan in '01?

FlyersFan, I pray your child never, ever has to experience the things these kids did.

i think we should bring 'em all here to America, miranda them, give them great lawyers at our expence then set 'em free and give them welfare, food stamps and medical and a new car and a nice new home whilst their comrads bomb, behead and stone to death and torture their wives, journalists and whomever else they can come up with Annnd plan attacks on our country.




[edit on 12-6-2009 by AmericanDaughter]

[edit on 12-6-2009 by AmericanDaughter]

Originally posted by AmericanDaughter
i think we should bring 'em all here to America, miranda them, give them great lawyers at our expence then set 'em free and give them welfare, food stamps and medical and a new car and a nice new home whilst their comrads bomb, behead and stone to death and torture their wives, journalists and whomever else they can come up with Annnd plan attacks on our country.

I was debating whether to even bother replying to you, but then I figured it's my duty to try and wake up people like you.

How about you don't bring them to America and give them all the stuff you mentioned above, even though I do not know anyone who is given ALL that for free. How about you tell your comrades to stop bombing their homes and killing their families in the name of war on terror. How about you tell your government to stop attacking it's own country to propagate their agendas.

Wake up and stop lying to yourself. People don't just start killing for no reason. They are thousands of miles away in their homes and don't care what you do here in America overseas. But they will and should care, when your government starts meddling with them and starts bombing them.

reply to post by GAOTU789


You don't name your source. Where exactly did you get that information?

American soldiers don't just randomly pick people up for the fun of it. He had to be engaged in some deadly behavior towards them or civilians.

Bad guys live in Pakistan as well AND the terrorists cross back and forth over the Pakistan/Afghan border all the time.

Just because he's 14 doesn't mean he's an angel and not a terrorist. Our jails are full of 14 year olds who have killed. Ask any Vietnam vet who saw battle. 14 year old young men can be very deadly and are capable of horrid things.

reply to post by FlyersFan


That line was from the OP's source but I checked it and it is accurate. Did you even bother to read the original link or since he was at Gitmo, he he must have automatically been fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan?

Jeeze.. what part of

"cleared of all charges by a US judge"

don't you understand?

Originally posted by FlyersFan
reply to post by GAOTU789

 

American soldiers don't just randomly pick people up for the fun of it. He had to be engaged in some deadly behavior towards them or civilians.

You automatically assume that American soldiers are always 'good' and the other side is always bad. How do you know he was engaged in some deadly behaviour when no proof of that behaviour was provided in 7 years?

Infact we have had numerous reports of brutality from the American side. Please wake up and try to get some real information and logic into your close minded head.

For all we know, an American soldier raped his mom and he was trying to protect her. Both sides should be given the liberty to accuse and imprison the other without proof and trial. Or none should.

Bad guys live in Pakistan as well AND the terrorists cross back and forth over the Pakistan/Afghan border all the time.

I didn't know the guys over there wrote terrorist and bad guy on their foreheads for you so easily identify them and group them together.

Bad guys are everywhere, including in the US army. Maybe the entire US should be nuked just so we can get rid of those few bad guys. Just to be sure you know.

Just because he's 14 doesn't mean he's an angel and not a terrorist. Our jails are full of 14 year olds who have killed. Ask any Vietnam vet who saw battle. 14 year old young men can be very deadly and are capable of horrid things.

I am extremely furious at your statement, but you have your right to speech. I would love to see someone pickup your 14 year old and throw them in jail without trial. I would love it. I will have no sympathy for you or your child because you deserve none. Infact, anyone who supports thi should give up their child for 7 years and let the 'other side' torture them.

I would love to see someone pickup your 14 year old and throw them in jail without trial. I would love it. I will have no sympathy for you or your child because you deserve none.

The single most disgusting thing I've ever had the misfortune of reading on ATS. I really wish there were a way of 'rating down' posts.

As for the OP's story, this kid wasn't in Gitmo for no reason. I won't claim to know why he was there, nor will I claim to know what happened to him while he was detained there, but the simple fact remains that he was there for a reason.

Just because the charges were dropped doesn't mean he was innocent. All it means is that there wasn't enough evidence to press charges in an American court.

That being said, I'm glad he's free now - and I'm glad Gitmo is closing. This era will certainly go down in history as a dark time indeed for America.

Originally posted by Monger
The single most disgusting thing I've ever had the misfortune of reading on ATS. I really wish there were a way of 'rating down' posts.

I was waiting for someone to post such a reply. Ahhh the double standards. I merely mention the above statement and it is called the single most disturbing thing. However, the US government actually carried out the act, not once, but multiple times and you have no rage against them.

I have so many nice words to describe people like you but I'll refrain from using it because there would be no point to it.

As for the OP's story, this kid wasn't in Gitmo for no reason. I won't claim to know why he was there, nor will I claim to know what happened to him while he was detained there, but the simple fact remains that he was there for a reason.

It is a simple fact that he was there for a reason. But the real question is what reason?? Please provide me a good reason with proof and I will shut up.

Just because the charges were dropped doesn't mean he was innocent. All it means is that there wasn't enough evidence to press charges in an American court.

And you don't find it disturbing that he was imprisoned for over 7 years without evidence?? Seriously, you do know that there are other countries out there with real people living in them rite?? It's not always about US vs. Some country (Good vs. Bad)

Originally posted by silencer
And you don't find it disturbing that he was imprisoned for over 7 years without evidence??

Absolutely I do, I think I made that clear.

Originally posted by silencerSeriously, you do know that there are other countries out there with real people living in them rite?? It's not always about US vs. Some country (Good vs. Bad)

Jumping to conclusions. I'm not an American, in fact I've never been to America nor do I have any plans to go there.

If only the world were as black and white as you seem to believe it is.

Please, feel free to entertain me by calling me all the names you have in mind for 'people like me.'

[edit on 14-6-2009 by Monger]

Originally posted by Monger
Originally posted by silencer
And you don't find it disturbing that he was imprisoned for over 7 years without evidence??

Absolutely I do, I think I made that clear.

You didn't make it clear. In fact, you clearly stated your support for the imprisonment because you seem to hold the view of guilty until proven innocent.

Originally posted by silencerSeriously, you do know that there are other countries out there with real people living in them rite?? It's not always about US vs. Some country (Good vs. Bad)

Jumping to conclusions. I'm not an American, in fact I've never been to America nor do I have any plans to go there.

If only the world were as black and white as you seem to believe it is.

Please, feel free to entertain me by calling me all the names you have in mind for 'people like me.'

I never stated that you were American. Please go back and read, I said US vs. some other country. You supported the US government's actions, hence support for US vs. a teenager from a different country who may or may not be a terrorist.
Also I wrote Good vs. Bad implying the mentality of people like you who support this act just because you automatically believe the 'other' side is 'bad'. It's not me who hold a black and white view, it's you who clearly does.

POW's are rarely guilty of a crime. The act of taking prisoners is simply put to keep them from causing more harm to opposing forces.
A taliban shooting at a US soldier in a warzone has not commited a crime as it is considered combat. POW's are traditionally released after a conflict has been ended and the opposing troops return home.
This is the reason for no trials and the other seemingly illegal detentions.

I am not saying this is the right way to do things, simply explaining the reasons.

Originally posted by uncommon-sense
POW's are rarely guilty of a crime. The act of taking prisoners is simply put to keep them from causing more harm to opposing forces.
A taliban shooting at a US soldier in a warzone has not commited a crime as it is considered combat. POW's are traditionally released after a conflict has been ended and the opposing troops return home.
This is the reason for no trials and the other seemingly illegal detentions.

I am not saying this is the right way to do things, simply explaining the reasons.

That's an interesting take. I see your point and it is a good point indeed but the problem still remains, they don't provide any proof that the 14 year old was a threat to US troops. If they had that, then I couldn't complain.

They have every right to protect themselves by any means, but they have to prove the person's guilt before imprisoning them. Otherwise, we give too much power to the government without checks and balances. And we all know where that leads, today it's the 14 year old boy, tomorrow it's you and your family.