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Guantanamo Inmates Declare Hunger Strike

by Open-Publishing - Friday 22 July 2005
7 comments

Strikes International Prison

Guantanamo Inmates Declare Hunger Strike

By JOHN J. LUMPKIN

WASHINGTON (AP) - Some 50 prisoners at Guantanamo Bay have declared they are on a hunger strike, a Pentagon spokesman said Thursday.

They went on strike three days ago, spokesman Bryan Whitman said. Some have already begun eating again, he said. The spokesman said he did not know why they went on strike and said the health of the striking detainees is being monitored.

The Pentagon’s version of this incident contrasted somewhat from the accounts of two Afghans released from the facility for terrorist suspects earlier this week. On Wednesday, they claimed that more than about 180 Afghans were on a hunger strike to protest alleged mistreatment at the facility at a U.S. military base in Cuba.

Habir Russol and Moheb Ullah Borekzai, who said they left the prison camp on Cuba on Monday and were flown to Afghanistan before being freed, said they did not participate in the hunger strike. They did not say how they knew others were refusing to eat.

Russol said 180 Afghan prisoners are not eating or drinking.'' He and Borekzai estimated the men were in the 14th or 15th day of their fast. Borekzai later told The Associated Press the detainees were protesting becausesome of these people say they were mistreated during interrogation. Some say they are innocent.’’

They are protesting that they have been in jail nearly four years and they want to be released,'' he said. Neil Koslowe, a Washington-based lawyer for 12 detainees from Kuwait, said several inmates told him during a June 20-24 visit to Guantanamo that there was awidespread’’ hunger strike over the amount and quality of their drinking water.

The two Afghans released this week said they had been accused of being members of the former Taliban regime, but both said they were innocent. Neither said how long they had been detained.

The Pentagon also announced Wednesday that seven Guantanamo detainees had been released and an eighth transferred to the custody a foreign government. In addition to the two released Afghans, three Saudi Arabians, a Jordanian and a Sudanese were freed, it said.

The three Saudis, who were not identified, were handed over to Saudi security, the official Saudi Press Agency said in Riyadh. It did not specify whether the three were detained for questioning, saying only that ``the regular procedures will be applied accordingly.’’

In addition, a Moroccan was transferred to control of the government of Spain, U.S. officials said. The Pentagon did not identify the detainees. The Moroccan was identified earlier this week in Spain as Lahcen Ikassrien, who had been charged there for his links to an al-Qaida cell.

The transfers leave about 510 prisoners at Guantanamo.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlate...

Forum posts

  • instead of killing others with their bombs they will kill each other with their strike.

    • The only who kill with bombs are the American terrorists.

    • The inmates at Guantanamo have no cause to strike. Their guards use only the softest clubs on them, use only the most gentle terror, give them free room and board, the masks covering their heads are perfectly good cloth, and they are put to sleep with Texan lullabies sung by a choir of friendly guards. They are allowed lawyers at least once a year, can issue a protest anytime which is promptly filed,and can read their sacred book, once it is retrieved from a toilet. President Bush is the origin of the kindly treatment of prisoners, keeping them safefly and peacefully until he decides to let them go, because his lawyer told him that he need not heed some antiquated decrees and laws. Bush IS the law. He IS the wartime president, even if he made war by lying and misinformation, and declared MISSION ACCOMPLISHED slightly prematurely. According to the Bush guards, the prisoners are treated as though they were in the arms of Jesus himself...lovingly and kindly..so they have absolutely no cause for any complaint whatsoever. And that’s the end of that! Case Closed!

    • Some people are just above the law, remember that when you talk about Bushco. The members of that exclusive club can do anything they please and there are no consequences. Crimes are for other people (the little people) "obeying the laws" has no place in their administration. When you’re an oil baron you’re allowed to control the world any way you see fit.

    • Now why would these people go on a hunger strike? With all of that yummy food...honey glazed chicken and country whipped potatoes, finger licken good grub. Being a guest of the "resort Gitmo" for three years without the distraction of being charged with a crime, or having to see a lawyer, or those annoying phone calls and visits or letters from the whiny families back home....all free of charge. A little friendly sodomy with a flashlight to keep them from being bored. Those attractive orange leisure suits provided at no cost.... What an ungrateful bunch of cry babies, I never.....

  • Good. Their food costs 1/3 more than what the Marines guarding them get. Let the Marines eat the good stuff, and the jihadists can starve themselves if they want to.

    Will they arrive in Paradise too emaciated to do anything with their 72 virgins?

    • You must be a sicko Bush supporter. Probably even call yourself a Christian. Jesus would be so proud of you. Wonder how you will explain your evil thoughts and your dark heart to him when you claim to follow his teachings. Just another psyco Christian with hatred and murder in his heart.