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The Continuing Saga of Abdul Rahim Abdul Razzak al-Ginco

By possum

Seven years ago this week 26-year-old Syrian Kurd Abdul Rahim Abdul Razzak al-Ginco was taken into custody by U.S. forces in Kandahar, southern Afghanistan.

He claims that after being taken into US custody he was subjected to stress positions, sleep deprivation and threatened with dogs. He arrived at Guantanamo Bay in April 2002 and has never been charged.

wwwcncmapscom, Flickr, Creative Commons

al-Ginco is still taking medication for a mental disorder.  Parts of his version of his detention are confirmed and others are not to date.  al-Curdi traveled to Afghanistan on the advice of a friend.  His expectation was then to go to Europe as a refugee.  The Taliban interrupted the plans.

For three months he was tortured and beaten by the Taleban and al-Qaeda, given electric shocks, and had the soles of his feet beaten. They filmed a confession from him that he was a Mossad spy.

When the Taliban fled Kandahar in January, 2002, al-Curdi and four other men remained in their jail becoming known as the "Kandahar Five."  When news of a video confession given to the Taliban reached American news media al-Curdi was suddenly viewed as an enemy combatant.

duncan, Flickr, Creative Commons

Suddenly, Mr al-Ginco says, the Americans' attitude towards him changed. He was accused of being a terrorist. He was subjected to long periods of stress positions, sleep deprivation and snarling dogs. In May 2002, after two years of being called an Israeli spy by the Taleban and al-Qaeda, Mr al-Ginco was sent to Guant?namo Bay, now accused of being al-Qaeda and a US enemy.

The Kandahar Five

- Abdul Hakim Bukhary Saudi citizen. Travelled to Afghanistan after 9/11 when the Taleban called for a holy war, and later imprisoned. Turned over to the Americans in 2002, he told a tribunal that his treatment at the Guant?namo centre had been "paradise". Repatriated last September

- Saddiq Turkistani Ethnic Uighur born in Saudi Arabia. Spent four-and-a-half years as the Taleban's prisoner, turned over the Americans and, he claims, tortured at Guant?namo. Released in 2006, now lives in his native Taif, planning to marry and start his own business

- Jamal Udeen British web designer and convert to Islam. Says that he was in Pakistan at a religious retreat in October 2001 when he was taken to Afghanistan and handed over to the Taleban. Claims then to have been tortured at Guant?namo. Released in March 2004. He is living in Manchester

- Airat Vakhitov Former imam from the Russian region of Tatarstan. Says that Uzbek rebels forced him to accompany them to Afghanistan, where he was handed over to the Taleban. Arrived at Guant?namo in June 2002. Released in February 2004. Recently emerged from hiding in Russia, working as a journalist, writer and editor

- Abdul Rahim Abdul Razzak al Ginco Syrian Kurd. Says that he travelled to Afghanistan seeking asylum in 2000. Held at a prison in Kandahar, then taken to Guant?namo, where he remains. Taking medication for severe mental disorders

Promises to close Guantanamo continue to come from the Obama administration.  Stories like the one of al-Curdi make the closing all the more desirable.

KCIvey, Flickr, Creative Commons

Full post as published by Never In Our Names on January 16, 2009 (boomark / email).