Journalist released from Gitmo calls it 'most heinous place mankind has ever known'!
SUDAN - May 6, 2008 - An Al Jazeera cameraman who returned yesterday to his home of Sudan from Guantánamo Bay and delivered a speech broadcast live on Sudanese television described the U.S. facility as "heinous."
His speech was broadcast live on Sudanese television. He was held at Guantanamo for seven years, and was never charged.
"After 2,340 days spent in the most heinous prison mankind has ever known, we are honored to be here. Thank you, and thank all those who defended us and our right to freedom," said Sami al Hajj, who spoke at an event organized by his family.
Hajj is the only major mainstream news journalist ever to be held at the prison. His supporters claimed that he was being held in retaliation for U.S. anger over the Arabic television network.
The cameraman was never prosecuted. The U.S. never published its allegations, but said in a hearing that Hajj was classified as an enemy combatant because he worked as executive secretary for a beverage company whose director allegedly aided Muslim forces in Bosnia and Chechnya. He was also suspected of transferring money to a charity the U.S. labeled as terrorist, and had interviewed Osama bin Laden.
Released after a 16-month hunger strike, Hajj was visibly weak upon his return, according to the Miami Herald.
Hajj said he was arrested because of U.S. frustration with Al Jazeera and his reports of alleged U.S. human rights violations in Afghanistan.
"I was subjected to 130 [interrogation] sessions, more than 35 about Al Jazeera, and they wanted me to be a spy against Al Jazeera," he said.
