By GEOFFREY BEW
Published: 17th July 2007
JUMA Al Dossary has finally left Guantanamo Bay, just over a month after he again tried to commit suicide, according to his lawyers.
The 33-year-old father cut his lower abdomen with a piece of metal and almost severed one of his arteries at the end of last month – just weeks before he was eventually released.
Guards saved him after noticing he had fainted, said lawyers who have represented Bahraini inmates at the prison.
However, just weeks later he has finally been reunited with his family after spending more than five years behind bars at Guantanamo Bay.
By GEOFFREY BEW
Published: 17th July 2007
JUMA Al Dossary has finally left Guantanamo Bay, just over a month after he again tried to commit suicide, according to his lawyers.
The 33-year-old father cut his lower abdomen with a piece of metal and almost severed one of his arteries at the end of last month – just weeks before he was eventually released.
Guards saved him after noticing he had fainted, said lawyers who have represented Bahraini inmates at the prison.
However, just weeks later he has finally been reunited with his family after spending more than five years behind bars at Guantanamo Bay.
He was among 16 Saudi nationals freed and transferred to Riyadh yesterday morning.
The US military previously said Mr Al Dossary, who has dual Bahraini-Saudi nationality, tried to kill himself at least 13 times in captivity. However, his family yesterday said he appeared to be in good health.
His brother-in-law Ahmed, who spoke to Juma on the phone, said he was delighted to have been released into Saudi custody.
“His mother, brother and sister have seen him in Riyadh and they say he is well and he was very pleased to see them,” he told the GDN from Dammam.
“For five years he was there, but now he has come back and that is great.
“We are very happy.
“He called me and I talked with him – his health seems better than before because he is back.”
It is understood Mr Al Dossary, 33, and the other detainees will remain in captivity while the Saudi authorities investigate whether they have links to militant organisations.
His brother-in-law is not sure why he was sent home now, but has no doubts about the first thing he will do when he is released.
“He will go to see his wife and his family and try and live a normal life,” he said.
Bahrain human rights activists and MPs yesterday welcomed the news, but said they would not rest until the country’s last remaining prisoner Isa Al Murbati returned home.
The Bahraini’s Guantanamo Bay legal team head, Joshua Colangelo-Bryan, said Juma’s family called him to let him know the news.
“I am thrilled that he is out of Guantanamo and that his family will be able to see him,” he said by phone from the US.
“I wish that he had been released immediately when returning home, but I trust that will happen soon.
“Naturally, my thoughts also go to Isa Al Murbati who is the last of our clients being held.
“I hope that he is brought home as soon as possible so that the Bahrain file at Guantanamo will be closed.”
Mr Colangelo-Bryan does not know why his client has been released now, but said the US government had no desire to hold people who are not considered to be a danger.
Mr Al Dossary was held at the notorious Cuba prison for more than five years without charge or trial and his lawyer believes it will be difficult for his client to adjust to life as a free man.
“Like anyone who comes back from Guantanamo there will be a transition period,” said the lawyer.
“It will be difficult at first.
“Most people who have been there continue to suffer trauma and many have nightmares.”
MP Mohammed Khalid, who has campaigned for the Bahrainis’ release, believes Mr Al Dossary’s transfer was the direct result of sustained pressure from politicians and human rights activists in Bahrain.
“I thought before that he would not come out of Guantanamo, so if he has come out then I hope Isa Al Murbati will be released in the next few months or weeks too,” he said.
“I am very happy, but I will be happier when Juma is out of jail.
“I hope that he spends only a few days in custody and then he returns to his family.”
The US military earlier accused Mr Al Dossary of being a member of Al Qaeda after he travelled from the US to Afghanistan via Bahrain and Iran in November 2001.
He was captured in December 2001 after allegedly crossing the Afghan- Pakistan border without any documentation or authorisation from the Pakistani authorities.
The US alleged he had been arrested in connection with the Khobar Towers bombing in 1996, was trained to use an AK-47 in Afghanistan, joined the jihad in Bosnia and had been an Al Qaeda recruiter in the US.
However, he had always denied the allegations against him.
Vice-president of the now-dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), Nabeel Rajab, was delighted with the news and said he looked forward to seeing Mr Al Dossary return to Bahrain.
“We urge the Saudi government to release the detainees as soon as possible, taking into consideration his psychological situation,” he said.
“He has been through a very difficult situation due to the torture he faced in Guantanamo.”
Mr Rajab thanked all those who have campaigned for the detainees’ release, saying it would not have been possible without them.
“We will continue our struggle until the release of all our prisoners,” he added.
Three other Bahrainis, Adel Kamel Hajee, Abdulla Al Nuaimi and Shaikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, were released from Guantanamo in November 2005, while Salah Al Blooshi was freed and returned to Bahrain in October last year.
geoff@gdn.com.bh
© Gulf Daily News
