In 2002, Mohamedou Ould Slahi was working and living near his parents in Mauritania. He received a request to appear at the police station, which he complied with, was arrested, handed over the CIA, jailed in Jordan, Afghanistan and finally Guantanamo. He was accused of being in Al Qaeda because he had fought in Afghanistan when the U.S. provided funding to the anti-communist mujahedeen. So he was on our side. Later in Germany, he crossed paths with one of the 9/11 bombers, and he happened to be in Canada at the same time as some other unsuccessful atrocity was unraveled, but he was never implicated in that original investigation. In fact, other than coincidences, he was never implicated in anything anti-American or anti-Europe.
Yet, somehow, the CIA under Bush II/Cheney/Rumsfeld decided he had to be locked up in Guantanamo for 14 years and subject to torture. And it has taken the Obama Administration almost 8 years to get him released. I don't understand what took so long. He should never have been locked up.
Fortunately, Mohamedou is educated. He is a trained Electrical Engineer. He learned English in captivity. He wrote a book that was published about his captivity. The book has been optioned for a movie. So he has hope for a future after his torture. Particularly because Mauritania is a poor country and a simple life can be lived on very little. He hopes to write more books and perhaps start a business.
Shame on the government for holding him for 14 years. Thank goodness the rest of us have Habeas Corpus rights.
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