An inmate of Guantanamo Bay who spends 22 hours each day in an isolation cell is fighting for the right to stay in the notorious internment camp.
Ahmed Belbacha fears that he will be tortured or killed if the United States goes ahead with plans to return him to his native Algeria.
More:
Zachary Katznelson, senior counsel with the human rights lawyers Reprieve and Mr Belbacha’s lawyer, has asked the US courts to block any transfer. “Ahmed is being held in camp six, the harshest part of Guantanamo,” he said. “His cell is all steel, there are no windows, he is not allowed to communicate with other prisoners and he gets just two hours exercise each day in a metal cage.
“He says his cell in Guantanamo is like a grave and that although it sounds crazy he would rather stay in those conditions than go back to Algeria. The fact is that he is really, really scared about what might happen to him in Algeria.”
We've heard so much about how awful Guantanamo is, and how those being held there should either be moved to another location or sent back home. However, it seems that home for Belbacha holds much more terror for him than having to stay locked up inside a prison cell with three squares a day. While his current accommodations may not exactly be luxurious, Belbacha doesn't seem to worry about being maimed and then killed by the soldiers who are his jailers.
It seems a little perspective would be in order here -- but whether or not this story gets media the attention it deserves remains to be seen.
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Maybe we can work something
July 31, 2007 - 13:07 ET by dervishMaybe we can work something out -- let's put Belbacha in the Senate for a while, and send Feinstein to Algeria. It might be an improvement, at least in the Senate.
I say, send him back. He
July 31, 2007 - 13:07 ET by bassndudeI say, send him back. He has no problem killing or torturing others. He should be sent back, and pronto. Before the court rules, then we can say, "...ahhhhhh were very sorry, but he has been sitting in a chair in their torture cell for 3 days now. We are so disturbed. We will call and see if we can get him back before they kill him....."
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!
Oh, oh.....don't expect the
July 31, 2007 - 13:17 ET by futbolisgreat1Oh, oh.....don't expect the American media to cover this story. It goes 100% against what they have told us is going on in Guantanamo.
Liberals and Democratic politicians must be beside themselves making sure that no American media outlet covers this story. We have been told how evil Guantanamo is and Sen. DICK Durbin explain it to us so well, right? Our troops at Guantanamo are Nazis, or those who ran the Soviet gulags.
How stupid the Liberals look when these type of stories come out.
Hi fut! L:ong time no
August 1, 2007 - 02:19 ET by bigtimerHi fut!
L:ong time no see...
Btw...whatever he said I always agree with.
As I do here.
LOL....
Not Suprisied
July 31, 2007 - 13:30 ET by TjexciteMany of the guys at gitmo if they were to be repatriated to their home countries, may and will be executed on the airport runway or very soon after. This fact can and will keep it out of the MSM and not let him to get an asylum in the USA
I have officially changed
July 31, 2007 - 15:18 ET by Ruths husband BenI have officially changed my mind. We should shut down Gitmo and send them all home...to Algeria! Oh, I know most of them aren't from Algeria, but surely they can find their way home from there.
as i remember egypt has a
August 1, 2007 - 02:12 ET by PKas i remember egypt has a good cage and beat the hell out of them policy.
also the english have been putting these folks in their prison general populations and the local rannyhans have been administering to the fellows. seems that they do not do well without machine guns, bombs etc.
C
Pam, let me get this
August 1, 2007 - 09:24 ET by LeonPam, let me get this straight.
So Guantanamo is not so bad b/c a guy would rather stay there than face torture or death.
Well, I guess that comparison means something. Can't think of anywhere I'd want to leave if I was facing torture or death.
You're right Pam. Quantamo must not be that bad.
This story is certainly newsworthy. I can see the headlines now, "Man would rather not face torture or death." Pretty dramatic!