Terrorist Whines Over Being Tortured by Saudi Security Officials
Jim Kouri, CPP
October 19, 2005
An alleged member of Al-Qaeda, charged with plotting to kill President George W. Bush, claims Saudi Arabian interrogators used torture techniques, including chaining, beating and whipping, to make him talk.
Ahmed Abu Ali, an American citizen, said he was beaten and whipped shortly after being detained in Medina, Saudi Arabia during his first days of a 20 month captivity.
The 24-year old suspected terrorist and assassin testified about his ordeal in a court hearing being held to examine Abu Ali's confessions and whether they will be admitted into evidence during an upcoming trial. His lawyers claimed their client was beated until he would sign the confessions including one that states Abu Ali was part of a plot to assassinate President George W. Bush. US government prosecutors are rebutting Abu Ali's allegations saying there is no evidence that the terrorist was beaten and tortured.
The suspected Al-Qaeda member was arrested on June 8, 2003, while attending classes on the Saudi university campus in Medina. According to his defense attorneys, Saudi officials took him to a jail where he was handcuffed, shackled and blindfolded. Subsequently, he says, he was interrogated five separate times and was denied requests to contact his attorney, his parents or officials at the American Embassy.
"I thought the fact that I was an American would protect me," Abu Ali told the court. "They said the embassy is not there to help you, you have to help yourself."
Abu Ali conceded that he wasn't beaten or tortured during the first four interrogations on the day he was arrested. He testified that interrogators in the fifth session hit him and "they slapped me around." He claims the Saudis pulled his hair and beard and they punched him in his stomach.
On the second day of his detention by Saudi security officers, Abu Ali said when he would not provide them with information they punched him again then grabbed him by the handcuffs and chained him to the floor and began to whip him, yelling for him to "confess" in Arabic.
During his testimony Abu Ali said that eventually his captors tore the shirt off his back and whipped him. It was at this point that Abu Ali said he then told the Saudis he would cooperate and the beatings stopped.
US government officials said that the suspected terrorist was held by the Saudi anti-terrorism unit near Riyadh for 20 months before being turned over to US officials to stand trial on charges of plotting with Al-Qaeda to kill Bush. He is pleading not guilty to nine counts including charges that he conspired to kill the president and that he provided support and resources to Al-Qaeda. Information on the actual details of the terrorist plot were withhead from the unsealed indictment for security reasons.
Ahmed Abu Ali, an American citizen, said he was beaten and whipped shortly after being detained in Medina, Saudi Arabia during his first days of a 20 month captivity.
The 24-year old suspected terrorist and assassin testified about his ordeal in a court hearing being held to examine Abu Ali's confessions and whether they will be admitted into evidence during an upcoming trial. His lawyers claimed their client was beated until he would sign the confessions including one that states Abu Ali was part of a plot to assassinate President George W. Bush. US government prosecutors are rebutting Abu Ali's allegations saying there is no evidence that the terrorist was beaten and tortured.
The suspected Al-Qaeda member was arrested on June 8, 2003, while attending classes on the Saudi university campus in Medina. According to his defense attorneys, Saudi officials took him to a jail where he was handcuffed, shackled and blindfolded. Subsequently, he says, he was interrogated five separate times and was denied requests to contact his attorney, his parents or officials at the American Embassy.
"I thought the fact that I was an American would protect me," Abu Ali told the court. "They said the embassy is not there to help you, you have to help yourself."
Abu Ali conceded that he wasn't beaten or tortured during the first four interrogations on the day he was arrested. He testified that interrogators in the fifth session hit him and "they slapped me around." He claims the Saudis pulled his hair and beard and they punched him in his stomach.
On the second day of his detention by Saudi security officers, Abu Ali said when he would not provide them with information they punched him again then grabbed him by the handcuffs and chained him to the floor and began to whip him, yelling for him to "confess" in Arabic.
During his testimony Abu Ali said that eventually his captors tore the shirt off his back and whipped him. It was at this point that Abu Ali said he then told the Saudis he would cooperate and the beatings stopped.
US government officials said that the suspected terrorist was held by the Saudi anti-terrorism unit near Riyadh for 20 months before being turned over to US officials to stand trial on charges of plotting with Al-Qaeda to kill Bush. He is pleading not guilty to nine counts including charges that he conspired to kill the president and that he provided support and resources to Al-Qaeda. Information on the actual details of the terrorist plot were withhead from the unsealed indictment for security reasons.
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