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Ghaleb al-Bihani Loses In Court

By possum

On January 28, U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon ruled the government may continue to hold Ghaleb al-Bihani as an "enemy combatant."

Bihani's attorneys argued that their client was only a cook for the Taliban and never fired a weapon at U.S. forces. But Leon said such allegations were enough to justify Bihani's continued detention.

Leon argued

an army travels on its stomach

duncan, Flickr, Creative Commons

al-Bihani

admitted that he went to Afghanistan to fight for the Taliban, but denied any role in al Qaeda.

Despite al Bihani's claim that he fought only for the Taliban, Judge Leon found that he admitted to serving in the 55th Arab Brigade fighting unit. This unit is comprised of elite al Qaeda fighters who have been assigned to fight alongside the Taliban.

Ghaleb has a brother, Tolfiq Nassar, who also is named in U.S. files as an Al Qaeda operative.  The connection between the brothers and their militant lives demonstrates a serious problem in fighting any insurgency.  Families are often drawn into the fray making any detention of one member less likely to turn the heads of the remaining family connections.

If or not al-Bihani is in fact an Al Qaeda member remains to be shown in open court.  But for the time being he remains in detention.  One must wonder how much of the information gained during his ongoing interrogations is reliable given the tales coming from Guantanamo these days.  Time will tell we must continue to hope.

Personal Collection

Peace.

Full post as published by Never In Our Names on January 29, 2009 (boomark / email).