Suicide Bid by Yemeni Guantanamo Detainee

News out of Yemen, yes, the Yemen that champions democratic rule and abhors terrorism. The Yemen Observer's Daily Chew...uh...reports:

SANA'A - A Yemeni detainee at Guantanamo Bay says he has tried to kill himself due to the treatment he has received from the US military, Gulf News reported. "Mohammad Al Adahi alleges that US troops have used methods of interrogation that were used by Soviet Union and North Korean interrogators in years past. His treatment has been so degrading that Al Adahi has tried to take his own life," said a statement sent to Gulf News by three US lawyers representing Yemeni detainees, including Al Adahi.

So, USSR and North Korean interrogators have detained Al Adahi in the past? Seems as if the good gentleman is somewhat of an expert regarding information gathering techniques.

"Al Adahi's account of his journey to Guantanamo and the despicable treatment he has suffered is not just one man's story. Sadly, it is a shocking narrative that could be told by numerous other Guantanamo detainees," said the statement sent by the lawyers, John Chandler, Kristin Wilhelm and Richard Murphy, from the US firm Sutherland Asbill and Brennan.

By the way, all of the lawyers mentioned have very strong ties to the ACLU, which should raise a flag of concern to our friend at Stop the ACLU.

Al Adahi says he has suffered physical, psychological and religious torture. "On one occasion the troops forced Al Adahi's face down into a toilet while he was handcuffed," said the statement. Al Adahi claims he has spent protracted periods in shackles and his interrogators threatened to detain his wife and mother if he did not admit to supporting al-Qaeda. Other times, they threatened to place his children in an orphanage if he did not talk.

The story of 43-year old Mohammad Al Adahi started in August 2001 when he took a vacation from a Yemeni company where he had worked for 21 years, according to his lawyers.
He was said to be a faithful provider for his wife and two children. He accompanied his sister who left Yemen to meet her husband in Afghanistan. It was his first time out of the country.

Al Adahi and his sister flew from Yemen to Karachi. On the second day, Al Adahi and his sister flew to a town bordering Afghanistan and then traveled by car to Kandahar to meet his sister's husband. Because he wanted to ease his sister's transition to life in Afghanistan Al Adahi remained in Afghanistan for about one month. He then started making his way back to Yemen.

He says he was detained in Pakistan by Pakistani military forces who leveled several charges against him. He was perplexed as the charges centered on his alleged involvement with al-Qaeda or the Taliban, or both. He was also charged with possessing a bomb detonation device - the cheap Casio watch he was wearing at the time he was detained. The Pakistani military turned Al Adahi over to US forces. Al Adahi is now in poor health due to this torture, and is on daily medication. Military physicians refuse to take his ailments seriously, lawyers said.

An unscheduled month in Afghanistan, a trip back to Yemen via Pakistan. What could possibly go wrong?

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