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Freed Sudanese detainee tells of torture at Guantanamo

Daily Nation
by Suna
October 9, 2008

KHARTOUM, Thursday. A former detainee at Guantanamo, Mr Mustafa Ibrahim Mustafa, who was released after seven years, has told of the suffering that he faced at the notorious prison after his arrest in Pakistan in 2001.

At a press conference he held Thursday at the premises of the International Civil Aid Organisation in Khartoum, Mr Mustafa said that he went to Pakistan for education and trade, but he and others were arrested after the incidents of September 11 by local elements in Pakistan and were handed over to the American forces.

He said that they were then transported to Guantanamo prison where several aspects of torture had been inflicted on them, adding that no one can avoid torture unless he says that he had participated in the war against the Americans.

Four children

Mr Mustafa, born in 1967, graduated at the University of Khartoum, Faculty of Arts, worked as a trader and is married and is father of four children.

He said that he and other detainees observed the insult of the holy Koran book at the prison, and were prevented from Azan (call for prayer) and prayer in a group, a matter that greatly increased their suffering and bitterness.

He said that part of the detainees were unconscious and sick of hysteria due to severe pain in their eyes and ears and other diseases during their transportation to Guantanamo prison.

Mr Mustafa called on the officials to exert every possible effort for the release of the remaining three Sudanese detainees at Guantanamo prison, lauding efforts by the government and human rights organisations that culminated in the release of a number of Sudanese detainees from Guantanamo.

The Chairman of the International Civil Aid Organisation, Mr Hassan Al-Mujamar, said at the press conference that Mr Mustafa was the sixth Sudanese detainee to be released from Guantanamo prison after Sami Mohi-Eddin al-Haj, Amir Yagoub Mohamed Al-Amin, Walid Mohamed Al-Haj, Salem Mohamed Adam and Adel Hassan Mohamed.

He said that the Sudanese detainees who are still in detention at Guantanamo are Ibrahim Ahmed, Mohamed Nour Osman and Ibrahim Ahmed Mohamed Al-Quosi, indicating that his Organisation will work with the concerned circles internally and abroad for the release of all the detainees and closure of the notorious prison.

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