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Africa Horn
Guantamano inmate must stay in Sudan
2007-08-16
Only thing worse would be to order him to Gaza.
KHARTOUM - Washington has asked Khartoum for guarantees that detained Al Jazeera cameraman Sami al-Haj will not leave Sudan before it tosses releases him from the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, his brother Asim al-Haj said on Wednesday.

Haj, who grew up in Sudan but is based in Qatar for his work with the television channel, was arrested and turned over to U.S. forces in Afghanistan in 2001. He was transferred to the U.S. prison in Cuba accused of involvement in “terrorist” activity.

“The U.S. administration wants to release Sami al-Haj,” Asim al-Haj told Reuters after meeting Sudanese Foreign Ministry officials. “But they want guarantees from the Sudanese government ... that if they release him he will not leave Sudan,” he said.

HajÂ’s mouthpiece lawyer in London, Clive Stafford Smith, said any decision needed to be made quickly as Haj had been on hunger strike for more than 200 days.
200 days? How much weight did he gain?
The U.S. embassy in Khartoum had no immediate comment on the report.

Asim al-Haj said his brother could be released by the end of the month. “The family are of course very happy to hear this news,” he said, adding they would deal with the conditions of release once his brother returned to Sudan. “This is a personal decision. His work is in Qatar. If he wants to return to work there then we will decide what to do.”
And then we will decide what to do.
Posted by:Steve White

#5  so let him cross that line in the sand and then waste his sorry arse. something that should ahve been done in 2001 and saved all those many days of hunger striking....
Posted by: USN, Ret.   2007-08-16 14:11  

#4  This is the Sudan of the janjaweed we're asking for assurances?
Posted by: lotp   2007-08-16 12:54  

#3  This is from awhile back...

Guantanamo officials said most of the tube-fed prisoners cooperate with the "involuntary feedings" but refused to eat regular meals because they want to be counted as hunger strikers."Frankly I do not believe that the men that are participating in the hunger strike indeed wish to do any long-term physical damage to their own health," said Army Maj. Gen. Jay Hood, who oversees the prison operation. He said several tube-fed prisoners had told the doctors, "I know as long as you are here that I will not die."

Geez, ya think Clive knows this? Or would he be shocked, shocked to find this out?
Posted by: tu3031   2007-08-16 11:22  

#2  tu, there are hunger strikes and there are hunger strikes. IIRC, Bobby Sands committed suicide by refusing any nourishment at all.
Cindy Sheehan went on a hunger strike that included Jamba juice smoothies. You could live a long time on that.
Posted by: Rambler   2007-08-16 10:49  

#1  HajÂ’s lawyer in London, Clive Stafford Smith, said any decision needed to be made quickly as Haj had been on hunger strike for more than 200 days.

Bobby Sands hunger strike lasted 66 days and he died at the end of it.
Working on this premise, I would have to say that Clive Stafford Smith is a lying bag of shit...
Posted by: tu3031   2007-08-16 00:20  

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