DOS Cable re: The Independent Newspaper Article on Gambian Al-Qaeda Suspects Held by U.S. Forces

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State Department cable concerning an article in the Independent newspaper concerning two (2) Al-Qaeda terror suspects, Jamil El Banna and Bisher Amin Khalil al Rawi, being transferred to Guantanamo. The article raises questions about extradition and human rights.
International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) President Kellenberger
.

Doc_type: 
Cable
Doc_date: 
Monday, March 31, 2003
Doc_rel_date: 
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Doc_text: 

Current Class: SECRET UNCLASSIFIED Page: 1
it-64D

Current Handling: n/a
Document Number: 2003BANJUL00280 Channel: n/a

ACTION SCT-00

A-00 DODE-00 DS-00
FAAE-00 FBIE-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 M-00

INFO LOG-00 AF-00 CCO-00 EUR-00

L-00 NSAE-00
NSCE-00 OCS-03 PM-00 P-00 SS-00

SSO-00 TRSE-00
USSS-00 PMB-00 /003W

DSCC-00 SAS-00

4ECED6 020508Z /40
R 311424Z MAR 03
FM AMEMBASSY BANJUL

• TO SECSTATE WASHDC 3406 RELEASED IN PART INFO CIA WASHDC
Bl, 1.4(B), 1.4(D)
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMEMBASSY DAKAR

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BANJUL 000280

NOFORN

TERREP EXCLUSIVE

FOR S/CT, AF, AF/W, INR

•B1

FOR CTC

DAKAR ALSO FOR

LONDON ALSO FOR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X1

TAGS: PTER, PREL, PHUM,
SUBJECT:

REFS: 02 BANJUL 1196 AND PREVIOUS

CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR JACKSON MCDONALD. REASON 1.6X1
Current Class: SECRET Page: 1
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY: SHARON E AHMAD
DOS-002520
DATE/CASE ID: 26 OCT 2004 200303827 UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED Page: 2
a-Current Class: SECRET
Current Handling: n/a
Document Number: 2003BANJUL00280 Channel: n/a

3.
(SBU) ON MARCH 28, AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF SILENCE, "THE
INDEPENDENT" NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED ANOTHER FRONT-PAGE ARTICLE
ABOUT THE FATE OF BISHER AL-RAWI AND JAMIL EL BANNA. ("THE
INDEPENDENT" OFTEN CRITICIZES THE GAMBIAN GOVERNMENT AND,
WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY, PUBLISHES ARTICLES AND
EDITORIALS CRITICAL OF THE USG AS WELL.) WE ARE PROVIDING
BELOW, FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THE FULL TEXT OF THE ARTICLE
IN QUESTION.

4.
(U) BEGIN TEXT:

"GAMBIA'S AL-QAEDA SAGA STILL UNRESOLVED"

THE UNCERTAIN FATE OF TWO MEN ARRESTED IN THE GAMBIA AS
ALLEGED MEMBERS OF AN AL-QAEDA TERRORIST CELL IN WEST
AFRICA HAS HEIGHTENED CONCERN FROM A HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERN,
DETERMINED TO SEE AN END TO THEIR PLIGHT UNDER CONTINUING
US CUSTODY.

THE GERMAN BRANCH OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HAS RENEWED CALLS FOR «rTNITED» «STATES» PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH AND THE GAMBIAN LEADER YAHYA JAMMEH TO EXPLAIN THE FATE OF THE TWO MEN OF MIDDLE EASTERN EXTRACTION, WITH ALLEGED LINKS TO OSAMA BIN LADIN'S AL-QAEDA AND STILL KEPT IN INCOMMUNICADO
DETENTION.

BISHER AL-RAWI AN IRAQI AND JAMIL AL-BANNA A JORDANIAN WERE

FLOWN TO A US AIRBASE IN BAGRAM NORTHERN «AFGHANISTAN» IN
JANUARY AFTER SPENDING MORE THAN A MONTH IN INCOMMUNICADO

DETENTION IN THE HANDS OF THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
(NIA) IN THE GAMBIA AND SUBJECTED TO REPORTEDLY GRILLING
SESSIONS OF INTERROGATION CONDUCTED BY CIA OFFICIALS.

IN A FEBRUARY 22 LETTER OF PROTEST TO PRESIDENT BUSH AND TO
THE GAMBIA GOVERNMENT THE GERMAN CHAPTER OF AI SAYS IT

Current Class: SECRET Page: 2
DOS-002521

UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
.;..Current Class: SECRET Page: 3

Current Handling: n/a •
Document Number: 2003BANJUL00280 Channel: n/a

CONSIDERS THE TWO MEN AT RISK OF ILL-«TMEMOMT» OR OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN AND DEGRADING «TREMONT» WHILE AT THE BAGRAM AIRBASE, WHICH IS SUSPECTED TO HOLD 40 TO 60 DETAINEES» AT ANY ONE TIME.
AI-GERMANY DEMANDED THE RELEASE OF THE TWO MEN IF THEY ARE
NOT TO BE PROMPTLY CHARGED WITH A RECOGNIZED CRIMINAL
OFFENCE AND BROUGHT TO JUSTICE IN ACCORDANCE WITH

INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS OF A FAIR TRIAL AND WITHOUT

RECOURSE TO THE DEATH PENALTY.

THE GERMAN BRANCH OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL QUOTED AN
ARTICLE PUBLISHED ON DECEMBER 26TH, 2002, IN THE WASHINGTON

POST, ALLEGING THAT SUSPECTED AL-QAEDA «DinmamEss» MAY BE

SUBJECTED TO CIA "STRESS AND DURESS" TECHNIQUES, INCLUDING

BEING KEPT STANDING OR KNEELING FOR HOURS, IN BLACK HOODS

BANJUL 00000280 002 OF 002

L 2002, THE PARENT BODY AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

SUBMITTED A MEMORANDUM•TO THE US GOVERNMENT COPIED TO THE

GAMBIAN SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND THE US

AMBASSADOR TO THE GAMBIA JACKSON MCDONALD ON THE RIGHTS OF

PEOPLE IN US CUSTODY IN AFGHANISTAN» AND GUANTANAMO BAY. THE
MEMORANDUM INCLUDED ALLEGATIONS BY SOME OF THOSE DETAINED

THAT THEY WERE ILL-TREATED WHILE IN US MILITARY CUSTODY.

ITS GERMAN BRANCH OBSERVED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN FURTHER

ALLEGATIONS OF TORTURE OR ILL-«TREATMENT» BY US MILITARY
PERSONNEL SINCE ITS MEMORANDUM WAS ISSUED.

END TEXT.

MCDONALD

NNNN

Current Class: SECRET Page: 3

DOS-002522
UNCLASSIFIED

Doc_nid: 
6646
Doc_type_num: 
68