Jun 30th, 2009
Posted by Rachel Myers, ACLU at 3:12pm	Torture

Bob Herbert on Mohammed Jawad: "How Long Is Enough?"

Bob Herbert has an excellent piece in The New York Times today about our habeas corpus case on behalf of Mohammed Jawad.

The Afghan government recently sent a letter to the U.S. government demanding Jawad’s return and suggesting he was as young as 12 when he was captured in Afghanistan and illegally rendered from that country almost seven years ago.

The U.S. government continues to rely on evidence obtained through torture and coercion in Jawad’s habeas challenge to his unlawful detention, despite the fact that the very same evidence was suppressed by the judge in Jawad’s military commission trial.

Jawad was still a boy when he was captured in Afghanistan. He was coerced into signing a confession written in Farsi, a language he could not speak, much less read or write (in fact, Jawad was functionally illiterate even in his native language of Pashto). He was later rendered to Bagram and then to Guantánamo, where he was subjected to the worst forms of torture. After weeks of isolation and abuse, Jawad tried to kill himself by repeatedly banging his head against the wall of his cell. No doubt irreparable harm has been done to Mohammed Jawad’s body and mind. The U.S. has no credible evidence against him. And yet he remains captive in U.S. custody.

Writes Herbert of Jawad’s harrowing story:

[S]ince his capture he has been tortured and otherwise put through hell. The evidence against him has been discredited. He has tried to commit suicide. But the U.S. won’t let him go.

Andy Worthington has also written about Jawad here.

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Tags: Close Guantanamo

1. Paen Says:
   Jun 30th, 2009 at 2:30pm

   This is beyond disgusting.
   Does the Unites States and the war mongers think they can end terrorism if the world thinks that they are no better
   than Ben Laden.Do the the criminals that
   commit these crimes and those that encourage them realise that while they remain safe brave soldiers who commited no crimes are going to die and be maimed
   because of the hatred they have generated.
   The war mongers love to proclaim their love for the troops but all they succeed
   in doing is get the poor buggers killed.

2. A REAL American Says:
   Jul 1st, 2009 at 10:45am

   You people are incredible. I don't know where you come from. Try doing something for a REAL cause, nevermind defending people that are trying to kill our citizens and troops. You make me sick. If people like you were around during WWII I don't think this great nation would be here today. Get a real job and quit trying to become "glorified" at the expense of somebody else's hardships. Disgusting.

3. scotty c Says:
   Jul 1st, 2009 at 4:12pm

   What evidence do we have of torturing of this boy besides this article?

4. Dan Says:
   Jul 4th, 2009 at 7:44am

   Why should we care what happens to these people. we should take what ever means to get what information out of these people. All these people want to do is kill us and they would kill the people how are trying to protect them if they get a chance

5. roald Says:
   Jul 8th, 2009 at 12:39pm

   Scotty, if you read the linked articles, you will find that military court judges agreed that this child had been tortured until he confessed. I will presume that they had access to evidence we do not.

   Dan, who are "these people" to whom you refer? Muslims, non-citizens? Terrorists? If the latter, this is the story of a 12 year old boy snatched off the streets and tortured until he confessed to a crime, not a terrorist.

6. Jim Waldie Says:
   Aug 14th, 2009 at 6:58am

   I can't understand these people who defend torture A Gentleman mentioned about WW II has he never thought about all the Jews that were tortured by the Nazi's.
   You can't fight terrorism with terrorism.
   Jim W