Mohamedou Ould Slahi: Allegations of Abuse
p. 20951-20952
Detainee: […] The Mauritanians arrested me and the FBI or whatever they are. They are American, they may be anything […] They interrogated me on October 13th [2001] and [REDACTED] was a very violent guy and he threatened me with torture. He struck me with a bottle of water that is about 2 liters […] In October [2002] the Mauritanians released me.
p. 20953-20956
Detainee: […] Then it was September or November 20th [2001] […] within eight days [the Mauritanians] turned me over to Jordan. Then man, what happened to me there is beyond description […] I said can you turn me over to the United States and they said no, the United States wants you to be turned over to Jordan […] They wanted to find first the proof then they were going to turn me over to the United States […] They sent me to Jordan […] they were very reluctant to torture me. It was not everyday torture, I would say maybe twice a week, a couple of times, sometimes more […] I had three interrogators [REDACTED], [REDACTED] and his real name, his first name was […] He struck me twice in the face on different occasions and pushed me against concrete many times because I refused to talk to him […] He threatened me with a lot of torture and took me to one room where they tortured and there was this guy who was beaten so much he was crying, crying like a child. I said "why do you want to do this to me, I am talking, I am talking, just ask me and I will talk." He said "yeah this is going to happen to you too." I said "but I did not give you a reason." Then people were wakened and they started to beat him and he started to cry and it was difficult to sleep. I thought it was a bodybuilding center […] I realized it was not a bodybuilding center because I started to hear crying and moaning. It was so hard to sleep. I was terrorized, even though I did not suffer that[.] I am not going to lie […] All they did was struck me at different times in the face and hit me against the concrete wall. I came out of it with good eyes. July 19th 2002, the Jordanians turned me over to the United States […] they stripped me naked […] and put new clothes on me […] I was in chains, a very bad suit, I had lost so much weight in Jordan I was like a ghost […] Besides that I had to keep my water (could not go to the restroom) for eight hours straight. Because the Americans [had me put] on a diaper but psychologically I couldn't [urinate] in the diaper. I tried to convince myself that it was okay but I couldn't and I was exploding [on the inside]. I was getting poisoned. Then after five hours of flight […] I thought maybe it is Germany […] They took me in a helicopter for ten minutes and then a truck […] I said I am in the Philippines […] It turned out to be Bagram AFB […] They put me in isolation for one week but I felt blessed really because it has been a long time and I have never seen somebody who was in civilian uniform […] I was not really tortured in Bagram, one soldier grabbed me with chains and he dragged me over concrete stairs.
Presiding Officer: When you say soldiers, what service and what country?
Detainee: He was an MP.
Presiding Officer: U.S., a U.S. soldier?
Detainee: Yes. I have no proof that the interrogator told him to do it. So my guess is he hates the detainees and he did it on his own.
Presiding Officer: So in Bagram a U.S. soldier dragged you so far?
Detainee: Yes, while taking me from the cell to the interrogation.
Presiding Officer: Why did he have to drag you, because you wouldn’t walk?
Detainee: I think since I am in shackles I walked slower, and he didn’t have time so he just dragged the hell out of me.
Presiding Officer: Okay, so you were going and you just were not going fast enough.
Detainee: That’s what I think. I don’t think that my interrogator told him to do it. I think he may have just had a bad day or maybe he was clumsy or something. That is my honest assessment. I didn’t tell my interrogators about this because I didn’t want my interrogator to know that something like that could be done to me.
Presiding Officer: Is this the first time that you are saying this or has it been reported before?
Detainee: I never reported it.
Presiding Officer: You never brought this up before?
Detainee: “Never, because I was afraid and at the CSRT they told me to tell them about this and I said no comment. The other guy who was a Japanese American and they call him “William the Torturer” in Bagram. He played with me a little bit. He made me sit on my knees for very long hours and I have very bad back pain, its call Sciatic Nerve and he worked on my Sciatic Nerve giving me a lot of pain during the interrogation. The definition of torture if I can categorize this was not it really but then he said to me “I am going to kick your ass.” What does it mean to kick your ass, that’s what I asked the interrogator. It didn’t really make sense to me because I know kick and I know the other part but I didn’t know these words together. I learn language [quickly] and pick it up. He said it to me in Arabic but it did not make sense in Arabic either. It does not make sense in Arabic […] August 4th 2002, I was assigned ISN 760 and transferred to GTMO Cuba.
p. 20959-20960
Around June 18th 2003, I was taken from Mike Block and put in India Block for total isolation […] I could not bear sleeping on the metal because of my back and you never know how much pain I could take […] They tried to give me painkillers and I refused the[m] out of protest. How could you give me a painkiller? Just give me something to sleep on and I will be all right. They took me to the doctor here, a Navy doctor, and he was a good guy. I told him that I am in a very bad situation and he said okay I [am] going to recommend that they give you some items, because you have a very serious condition of Sciatic Nerve. But I cannot promise you because those people decide not me. I would like you to check my medical records.
During this portion of the ARB, the recording equipment began to malfunction. This malfunction has caused the remainder of tape 3 of 4 tapes from clicks 3467 to 4479 to become distorted. The Detainee discussed how he was tortured while here at GTMO by several individuals. The recording machine was swapped out with a new one and we finished out the session. The following in the board’s recollection of that 1000 click malfunction:
Detainee was explaining his medical treatment and noticed a Board Member passing a not to the Presiding Officer. The Detainee inquired as to why the Board Member was passing a note. The Presiding Officer told the Detainee the Board Member had a question regarding the Detainee’s medical treatment. The Board Member asked the Detainee to summarize his medical treatment and the treatment he received at the hands of the interrogators. The Detainee stated the medical treatment he received was “good”, however he decided to continue to do into greater detail regarding the alleged abuse he received from the hands of the interrogators.
The Detainee began by discussing the alleged abuse he received from a female interrogator known to him as [REDACTED]. The Detainee attempted to explain to the Board [REDACTED] actions but he became distraught and visibly upset. He explained that he was sexually harassed and although he does like women he did not like what [REDACTED] had done to him. The Presiding Officer noticed that the Detainee was upset and told him he was not required to tell the story. The Detainee was very appreciative and elected not to elaborate on the alleged abuse from [REDACTED]. The Detainee gave detailed information regarding the alleged abuse from [REDACTED] and [REDACTED]. The Detainee stated that [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] entered a room with their faces covered and began beating him. They beat him so badly that [REDACTED] became upset. [REDACTED] did not like the treatment the Detainee was receiving and stated to sympathize with him. According to the Detainee, [REDACTED] was crying and telling [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] to stop beating him. The Detainee wanted to show the Board his scars and location of injuries, but the board declined the viewing. The Board agrees that this [is] a fair recap of the distorted portion of the tape.
Presiding Officer: […] Okay, could you take us from [before the 24th] because I got the August 2003 stuff between there, so if you could go to August 24th because you said that was a big day. Take us from there to this secret place so that we can move on a little bit.”
Detainee: “Okay, exactly. I was taken by those two guys and the trip took about an hour, it was in a boat. They took me to a place and I was moaning and I recognized a voice and he was talking to two Arab guys, one claiming to be Egyptian and one claiming to be Jordanian. He was telling them how grateful he is that they are helping him. They told him in Arabic that they were there to torture me and they could not take me to Jordan or Egypt or something like that. Then they were telling him [to] look into this. Then they gave me to the Arabic team and they took me to a place for about an hour and they took me to a place I don’t know. They were hitting me all over (Detainee demonstrated the blows). They put ice in my shirt until it would melt. They I arrived at that place and they gave me back to [REDACTED] when I arrived at the place and I was there and they brought in a doctor, who was not a regular doctor he was a part of the team. He was cursing me and telling me very bad things. He gave me a lot of medication to make me sleep and I had special guards with mask so I couldn’t see anybody. For like two or three weeks I was unconscious and after that I decided it is not worth it. Because they said to me either I am going to talk or they will continue to do this. I said I am going to tell them everything they wanted. I told them while I was in Canada, I was planning for a terrorist attack but I couldn’t get it straight with Rassam because he was not talking back then and he was cooperating completely with the FBI, and of course he said he didn’t know me because he didn’t know me. But I told them I was on my own trying to do things and they said write it down and I wrote it and I signed it. I brought a lot of people, innocent people with me because I got to make a story that makes sense. They thought my story was wrong so they put me on a polygraph and I passed it. Then they wanted everything, they wanted me to tell them that I would tell them. I just wanted to get some peace. If they wanted me to tell them that I would tell them. I just wanted to get some peace. If nobody understands then they don’t understand because I am the one who suffered with no food, the guards beat me, and it was a very bad place. Then they started, the interrogators, with the leaders started giving me a better life. He never brought up what they did to me but he didn’t feel what I felt. But he was a good guy to me. He even brought me a T.V and a lot of comfort items. Since 2004, I really have no complaints and everything was good. I admitted to what they wanted and they found out what was right and not right because I challenged them admitting to things in which they have to go to people. I did not know that was a big challenge for them to get what they wanted. Then it was all right every [sic] since General Hood came here he makes sure personally that nothing is going to happen to me because I was so afraid. I was afraid of everything. Even when the CSRT wanted me to share with [them] I refused it because I was afraid of them. And that is my story and thank you very much for hearing this long and boring story.