June 11, 2007
By
Gabe Rottman, Legislative Counsel, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 2:00pm
True story of Gitmo detainee sent to Albania, and granted asylum at request of US. From the
Christian Science Monitor:
An Algerian national, Muhammad was living in Pakistan – where he says he was working as a teacher for a nongovernmental organization – when police came to his door in the middle of the night. They were looking for another man, he says, but took him away anyway "for verification."
That was the last time he saw his five children and then-pregnant wife. He has a daughter, now 5, whom he has never seen.
A doctor by training, Muhammad speaks English, Arabic, and French – all softly – and shows no rage at the US. He says he is happy to be free but he sees little future for himself in Albania. He gets food, accommodation, and a small stipend from the government, but jobs are scarce and he despairs of ever bringing his family.
"Bring my family? Where?" he says. "They say they will give you one house with two rooms for two persons. How can I take my family in one room? I have six children."
