By MOHAMMED AL A’ ALI
Published: 10th August 2007
FREED Guantanamo Bay detainee Isa Al Murbati says that he wants to put the last six years behind him and get to know his family again.Mr Al Murbati, 41, told the GDN last night that he wasn’t interested in seeking compensation or dwelling on his experiences in detention.
“I don’t want to remember that horrible place any more,” he said after greeting well-wishers at the Shaikhan Al Farsi Mosque community hall, in Buhair.
“The torture I went through was so inhumane that I just want to forget.”
However, the physical scars remain.
“I am still suffering from nasal problems due to the inhalation of toxic fumes from chemicals,” he said.
By MOHAMMED AL A’ ALI
Published: 10th August 2007
FREED Guantanamo Bay detainee Isa Al Murbati says that he wants to put the last six years behind him and get to know his family again.Mr Al Murbati, 41, told the GDN last night that he wasn’t interested in seeking compensation or dwelling on his experiences in detention.
“I don’t want to remember that horrible place any more,” he said after greeting well-wishers at the Shaikhan Al Farsi Mosque community hall, in Buhair.
“The torture I went through was so inhumane that I just want to forget.”
However, the physical scars remain.
“I am still suffering from nasal problems due to the inhalation of toxic fumes from chemicals,” he said.
“There are other torture marks on my body, but I don’t want to speak more.”
Mr Al Murbati went on to describe the psychological torture he suffered.
“I was tortured inside dark rooms, where loud music was played and people were blowing horns in my ears, just to scare me,” he recalled.
He had little contact with other prisoners as they were locked up individually.
“We were connecting with our faith and hoped that God would take us from this place,” he said.
Mr Al Murbati said that he saw one of the American soldiers urinate on the Holy Quran, to upset prisoners.
“They were doing everything to make our stay miserable,” he observed.
“They were capable of doing horrible things.”
He said he refused to see visiting lawyers and was always shouting at them to leave, because he felt he didn’t need them.
“I believe that God is my protector and I didn’t really believe anyone else was capable of getting me out from that place,” said Mr Al Murbati.
He said it was pointless having a lawyer in a place where there was no law and no respect for the truth.
Earlier, Mr Al Murbati thanked well-wishers for their support, telling them that they were lions and no-one could ever harm them.
“We are strong and our faith will always keep us so, thank you for your support, I love you all,” he told them.
“I hope that we will all go to heaven and that whatever we do is purely for God and no-one else.”
Meanwhile, MP Mohammed Khalid Mohammed said last night that the Detainees Support Committee he chairs would now work on getting compensation for detainees.
He said it was hoped to achieve similar packages to that given to Juma Al Dossary, released last month and now in Saudi.
Mr Al Dossary holds dual Bahraini and Saudi nationalities.
“It is something good to have a dual nationality, because the Saudi government has promised Mr Al Dossary many things,” said Mr Mohammed.
“He will be given money, a house, a car and will soon be married and we hope that our five other beloved ones will be compensated for their time in jail, while innocent.
“His Majesty King Hamad is generous and I hope that he will intervene to support the five others.”
Human rights activist Nabeel Rajab said that they would continue fighting until everyone was out of Guantanamo – Bahraini or not.
“We hope that we will also be able to free Mr Al Murbati’s brother Abdulraheem, who has been held in a prison in Medina, Saudi Arabia, over the past three years without any charge, to complete the family’s happiness,” he said.
The four other freed detainees are Adel Kamel Hajee, Abdulla Al Nuaimi and Shaikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, released in November 2005 and Salah Al Balooshi, who was released last October.
alaali@gdn.com.bh
Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa was yesterday thanked by the National Committee for the Support of Bahraini Detainees in Guantanamo for his efforts in the release and return of Mr Al Murbati.
In a cable thanking the Premier and the Interior and Foreign Ministries, MP Khalid Ibrahim said Shaikh Khalifa’s constant follow-up on the detainees’ plight has resulted in the return of Mr Al Murbati.
© Gulf Daily News