Britain Reveals ‘Inhuman’ Treatment of U.S. Prisoner

Posted on Feb 10, 2010

AP / Sang Tan

Binyam Mohamed, a British resident freed from the Guantánamo Bay prison, returns to Britain a free man on Feb. 23, 2009, after nearly seven years in U.S. captivity.

Against the wishes of the U.S. government, British authorities released information Wednesday about the “cruel, inhuman and degrading” treatment of former Guantánamo Bay prisoner Binyam Mohamed. The abuse allegedly took place in 2002 in Pakistan, following Mohamed’s capture and prior to his internment at Gitmo.  —KA

AP:

Mohamed’s lawyers have long claimed the secret paragraphs prove he was mistreated and that the U.S. and British governments were complicit in his abuse. They have been fighting for access to the documents, along with The Associated Press and other news organizations.

The paragraphs say Mohamed was subjected to “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment by the United States authorities,” including sleep deprivation, shackling and threats resulting in mental stress and suffering.

They conclude that the paragraphs given to the MI5 intelligence service, “made clear to anyone reading them that BM (Mohamed) was being subjected to the treatment that we have described and the effect upon him of that intentional treatment.”

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