Legal Commentary

Released Uighurs Discuss Imprisonment at Guantanamo

By Jeralyn

From Bermuda, the four recently transferred Chinese Uighur Muslims, Abdulla Abdulqadir, Salahidin Abdulahad, Khalil Manut, and Ablikim Turahun, discuss the seven-plus years they spent in the United States' prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

"We'd never heard of al Qaeda until we came to Guantánamo and heard about them from our interrogators. "From what we have heard about them, they are an extremely radical group, with totally different ideals from ours. We are a peace-loving people."

The men said for a year of their imprisonment they were held in solitary confinement for 22 hours a day in a cramped cell with no natural light, and were allowed outside for a couple of hours a day in a three-metre by five-metre "recreation area".

Like many other of the Gitmo detainees, they were sold to the U.S. for cash after crossing into Pakistan: [More..]

They are doing better now:

The men are delighted to be in Bermuda and grateful to the Government for taking them when many larger countries refused. "Bermuda had the courage to step up and do this, "Mr. Abdulahad said. "It's a small place but the people have extremely big hearts. "We want to live a peaceful and beautiful life here and we are ready to work hard.

At least one local shopkeeper gets it. The four went in to buy clothes:

The radio was on inside and voices on a talk show were complaining about "terrorists" not being welcome in Bermuda.

The storekeeper looked at the men and quickly realised who they must be and said: "Well, I welcome you here."

Thanks again to Bermuda.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on June 13, 2009 (boomark / email).