Journalist released from Gitmo calls it 'most heinous mankind has ever known' John Byrne

Published: Tuesday May 6, 2008



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Print This Email This An Al Jazeera cameraman who returned yesterday to his home of Sudan from Guantánamo Bay and delivered a speech broadcast live on Sudanese television described the US facility as "heinous." His speech was broadcast live on Sudanese television. He was held at Guantanamo for seven years, and was never charged. "After 2,340 days spent in the most heinous prison mankind has ever known, we are honored to be here. Thank you, and thank all those defended us and of our right in freedom," said Sami al Hajj, who spoke at an event organized by his family. Hajj is the only major mainstream news journalist ever to be held at the prison. His supporters claimed that he was being held in retaliation for US anger over the Arabic television network. The cameraman was never prosecuted. The US never published its allegations, but said in a hearing that Hajj was classified as an enemy combatant because he worked as executive secretary for a beverage company whose director allegedly aided Muslim forces in Bosnia and Chechnya. He was also suspected of transfering money to a charity the US labeled as terrorist, and had interviewed Bin Laden. Released after a 16-month hunger strike, Hajj was visibly weak upon his return, according to the Miami Herald. Hajj said he was arrested because of US frustration with Al Jazeera and his reports of alleged US human rights violations in Afghanistan. "I was subjected to 130 [interrogation] sessions, more than 35 about Al Jazeera, and they wanted me to be a spy against Al Jazeera," he said. Read more about Hajj's story here.