BreakingTop StoryWorld News

US seeking country to accommodate Al Qaeda money courier and would-be suicide bomber Majid Khan

264

The United States government is urgently looking for a country that will take in former Al Qaeda money courier Majid Khan, who was tortured by the CIA, Persecondnews.com gathered in Washington Wednesday morning.

Khan, a Pakistani citizen, 42, in 2021 described how US agents tortured him for 3 years while being detained.

Per Second News learnt that US Diplomats have approached 11 countries to ask if they would be willing to take in the confessed terrorist, according to US Justice Department court filing on Tuesday.

Lawyers said finding a country to take on Mr Khan, as well as his wife and daughter who are in Pakistan, was a priority for the Biden administration.

“The government is actively — and urgently — working to facilitate petitioner’s transfer,” the lawyers wrote in a 37-page filing.

In 2012 Mr Khan admitted he was an Al Qaeda money courier and would-be suicide bomber.

He told a jury last year he was raped, beaten and waterboarded by CIA interrogators.

In 2021, seven senior US military officers called Mr Khan’s treatment at the prison “a stain on the moral fibre of America” in a handwritten letter first published by The New York Times.

His lawyers said he was in isolation in the same detention setting in which he served his sentence, which ended on March 1.

But US Army Col Matthew Jemmott, the warden of the Pentagon prison, said Mr Khan has socialised with FBI agents and top prison officials during “religious feasts, social meetings and meetings regarding detention-related issues”.

Mr Khan’s lawyers in July asked the judge to release him into the US, or at the US Navy base beyond the prison zone, which has 6,000 residents.

Mr Khan has family members in the US city of Baltimore, where he attended high school in the 1990s. But Guantanamo detainees are forbidden by US law from being released into the US.

Justice Department lawyers said finding a country to take in Mr Khan is in the government’s national security interests “to encourage co-operation by individuals accused of acts of terrorism”.

Mr Khan’s lawyers said he could not go back to Pakistan because he fears persecution there as a former US government informant who testified against other Guantanamo prisoners.

Mr Khan is one of two of the 36 prisoners at Guantanamo to have been convicted, while 10 others are in pretrial proceedings.

Prosecutors are in plea negotiations with the five men accused of plotting the September 11 attacks. A disabled Iraqi prisoner recently offered a guilty plea in exchange for transfer to an unknown country for medical treatment.

Justice Department lawyers said Mr Khan’s detention was lawful because “hostilities with Al Qaeda remain ongoing”, citing a CIA drone strike last month that killed the terrorist group’s leader, Ayman Al Zawahri, in Afghanistan.

Leave a comment

Related Articles

Election Day Showdown: Harris and Trump Hold Duelling Rallies as Polls Reach Dead Heat

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump held rival rallies on Monday, the final...

Just in: FG withdraws treason charges against #Endbadgovernance protesters

The Federal High Court in Abuja has terminated the treason charges brought...

Breaking: Pres. Tinubu orders release of #EndBadGovernance underage protesters

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate release of all minors arrested...

Equatorial Guinea government official embroiled in sextape scandal

Mr. Baltasar Engonga, Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF)...

Just in: Seven new ministers take oaths of office

President Bola Tinubu has sworn in seven newly appointed ministers, directing them...

Just in: Appeal Court acquits ex-CJN, Onnoghen, orders FG to unfreeze his account

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Monday discharged and acquitted...

Just in: UK Conservative Party elects former Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch as new leader

Former British Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has emerged as the new leader...

ECOWAS, Nigeria, Morocco, Mauritania Commit to $26bln African Atlantic Gas Pipeline Project

“The project, conceived in 2016 during King Mohammed VI of Morocco’s visit...

#EndBadGovernance protests: AGF to Police: Transfer casefiles of 72 defendants to my office

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince...

Updated: Abuja Court grants N1.1 bln bail to 114 #EndBadGovernance protesters

A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted a N10 million bail...

Just in: 76 #EndBadGovernance protesters arraigned in Abuja

The detained 76 #EndBadGovernance protesters just arrived at the Federal High Court...

Breaking: 10 fatalities confirmed as building collapses in Ibadan

A weehours building collapse in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Thursday...

Breaking: After five hours of screening, Senate confirms Bianca Ojukwu, six others as ministers

The Senate on Wednesday screened and confirmed the nominations of Ambassador Bianca...

Senate begins screening of seven ministerial nominees

The Senate has started screening the seven ministerial nominees of President Bola...

Alleged homosexuality: RCCG suspends two pastors, launches investigation

For allegedly breaching the church’s doctrine and the Holy Bible, two pastors...

Helicopter crash: NNPC Ltd. spokesman Soneye cancels golden jubilee birthday celebration in honour of departed souls

Mr. Olufemi Soneye, the chief corporate communications officer of the Nigerian National...

Biden in 30-minute phone call with Tinubu, hails Binance executive release

President Bola Tinubu and US President Joe Biden held a 30-minute phone...

Tinubu Receives Briefing on Local Currency Oil Sales Amid Pricing Disputes

President Bola Tinubu has received a briefing from the Implementation Committee on...

Kcee and Flavour engage in heated exchange over Igbo music style

The Nigerian music industry is once again witnessing a brewing fiery clash...

In Lagos, 150 Ajegunle widows, vulnerable lifted with food items, cash gifts

As part of efforts to provide succor and the much-needed support to...