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"The harsh treatment and mental anguish this individual suffered should never be experienced by anyone," said Hafetz. |
CAIRO – An American Muslim is suiting FBI agents over involvement in his interrogation and transfer to other countries in violation for his constitutional rights, the first case by a US citizen over the infamous rendition practice.
"It is simply unacceptable that an American citizen in desperate conditions overseas should be so deliberately and egregiously deprived of his constitutional rights by US officials," Jonathan Hafetz, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement on ACLU’s website.
Born and raised in New Jersey to Egyptian parents, Amir Meshal traveled to Somalia in December 2006 to study Islam.
He fled the country after the flare-up of clashes between the ruling Islamic Courts Union and the US-backed interim government.
Meshal was arrested in neighboring Kenya and detained at the orders of American officials.
"US officials repeatedly threatened Mr. Meshal with torture, forced disappearance, and execution in order to coerce him to confess to wrongdoing in which he had not engaged and to associations that he did not have," the lawsuit reads.
He was threatened to be sent to Egypt, where the Egyptians "had ways of making him talk," or to Israelis who would "make him disappear."
Meshal was secretly flown back to Somalia for some days before being taken to Ethiopia, where he was grilled US agents.
He was never charged with any crime and was finally allowed to return to the US in 2007.
Rights’ Violation
The lawsuit contends that Meshal’s treatment violated his rights as granted by the US constitution.
"The harsh treatment and mental anguish this individual suffered should never be experienced by anyone, let alone an American citizen at the hands of his own government," said Hafetz.
"This violation of basic constitutional rights must be remedied."
"American citizens abroad who are seeking refuge from hostilities deserve the assistance of their government in getting home safely.
"It is inexcusable that US officials instead threatened Mr. Meshal with torture, participated in detaining him in secret and inhumane conditions and denied him the chance to contest his detention or contact his family."
This is the first time a US citizen has sought damages for the controversial practice of rendition, the extrajudicial transfer of suspects to third countries without court approval.
Since 9/11, the CIA has rendered more than 100 people from one country to another, usually with well-documented records of abuse, without legal proceedings.
Last week, an Italian judge convicted 23 CIA agents for the kidnapping of a Muslim imam and sending him to Egypt where he was tortured.
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