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Saifullah Paracha is a citizen of Pakistan currently held in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camps, in Cuba.[1] Paracha's Guantanamo Internment Serial Number is 1094. The Department of Defense reports that Paracha was born on August 17, 1947, in Mongwal, Pakistan.

He graduated from a university in Karachi with a degree in physics and attended New York Institute of Technology, studying computer systems analysis.

As of October 14, 2010, Saifullah Paracha has been held at Guantanamo for six years one months.[2]

Paracha's Family[]

Paracha has 4 children and a wife. Two daughters and two sons, Uzair (29), Muneeza (26), Mustafa (19) and Zahra (16).[3] They had to face immense financial problems according to numerous newspaper reports and have undoubtedly stated Paracha's innocence.

His son, Uzair Paracha, was convicted in 2005 for providing support to Al-Qaeda, that included assistance for Majid Khan to obtain documents.[4]

Combatant Status Review[]

Main article: Combatant Status Review Tribunal

A Summary of Evidence memo was prepared for Saifullah Paracha's Combatant Status Review Tribunal, on 6 October 2004.[5] The memo listed the following allegations:

Saifullah Paracha v. George W. Bush[]

A writ of habeas corpus, Saifullah Paracha v. George W. Bush, was submitted on Saifullah Paracha's behalf.[6] In response, on 21 December 2004, the Department of Defense published fifty-eight pages of unclassified documents related to his Combatant Status Review Tribunal.

On 8 December 2004 Tribunal panel 24 convened and confirmed Saifullah Paracha's "enemy combatant" status.

Administrative Review Board hearing[]

File:ARB trailer.jpg

Hearing room where Guantanamo captive's annual Administrative Review Board hearings convened for captives whose Combatant Status Review Tribunal had already determined they were an "enemy combatant".[7]

Detainees who were determined to have been properly classified as "enemy combatants" were scheduled to have their dossier reviewed at annual Administrative Review Board hearings. The Administrative Review Boards weren't authorized to review whether a detainee qualified for POW status, and they weren't authorized to review whether a detainee should have been classified as an "enemy combatant".

They were authorized to consider whether a detainee should continue to be detained by the United States, because they continued to pose a threat—or whether they could safely be repatriated to the custody of their home country, or whether they could be set free.

Paracha chose to participate in his Administrative Review Board hearing.[8]

Press reports[]

On July 12, 2006 the magazine Mother Jones provided excerpts from the transcripts of a selection of the Guantanamo detainees.[9] Paracha was one of the detainees profiled. According to the article his transcript contained the following exchange:

tribunal president: I do know you had some questions about the legality of your detention. That would be referred to other organizations of the government, but you will be receiving more specific instructions shortly of how to bring your question to U.S. courts.
paracha: Your honor, I have been here 17 months; would that be before I expire?
tribunal president: I would certainly hope so, especially since you are under the care of the U.S. government while you are here. As far as some of the other statements you made about jurisdiction, this is a U.S. government executive decision in regards to the detention of enemy combatants….
paracha: Your honor, my question is that your executive order is applicable around the earth?
tribunal president: It is a global war on terrorism.
paracha: I know, sir, but you are not the master of the earth, sir….
tribunal president: Would you be surprised to hear that Osama bin Laden founded Al Qaeda and Al Qaeda includes people from all over the world? People from America, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Philippines, and people from wherever?
paracha: Sir, how could anybody know who Al Qaeda is?
tribunal president:Good question. That’s a very good question.

On June 2, 2008 Zachary Katznelson appealed to the Pakistani government for assistance, stating[10][11]:

"Political intervention is the only hope for Saifullah Paracha to receive justice."

Heart surgery[]

File:2005021807a hr.jpg

Guantanamo detainment camp infirmary operating room

Paracha needed heart surgery.[12] Paracha's lawyer's appealed the camp medical authorities plans to perform the surgery in the Guantanamo camp infirmary's operating room. Paracha was concerned about the competence of the Guantanamo medical staff. Paracha's request to have his surgery performed off-island was turned down. The Guantanamo Bay Doctors and Military personnel told him that they had performed surgery on another man as well and his operation was successful. Paracha requested to at least talk to this man but the request was denied.

According to MSNBC:[12]

"Paracha's lawyer said that his client complained that several simple diagnostic examinations were not performed adequately by doctors at Guantanamo Naval Hospital. Gaillard Hunt, Paracha's lawyer, said that his client has had his hands and feet shackled when being examined at the base hospital and that several attempts to perform an electrocardiogram, or EKG, proved difficult for base medical staff."

According to a report from the Associated Press Paracha has had three heart attacks in custody.[13] The report stated Commander Rick Haupt claimed preparing facilities in case Paracha agreed to heart surgery cost $400,000. Mrs. Paracha has stated that Paracha's failing health should be reason enough to release him immediately if they would not look into the legal issues of the situation.

References[]

  1. OARDEC (May 15, 2006). "List of Individuals Detained by the Department of Defense at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from January 2002 through May 15, 2006" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. http://www.dod.mil/news/May2006/d20060515%20List.pdf. Retrieved 2007-09-29. 
  2. ' [1] The New York Times
  3. "Saifullah Paracha's Background and Family". http://www.freeparachas.org/saifullah.htm. Retrieved 2007-06-15. 
  4. US convicts man of al-Qaeda plot [2] BBC News November 24, 2005
  5. documents (.pdf) from Saifullah Paracha's Combatant Status Review Tribunal - - mirror pages 1-19
  6. "Saifullah Paracha v. George W. Bush 04-CV-2022 (PLF)". United States Department of Defense. 8 December 2004. pp. pages 1–58. http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/publicly_filed_CSRT_records_4608-4737.pdf#1. Retrieved 2008-06-10. 
  7. Review process unprecedented [3] Spc Timothy Book Friday March 10, 2006
  8. Summarized transcript (.pdf), from Saifullah Paracha's Administrative Review Board hearing - page 138
  9. "Why Am I in Cuba?", Mother Jones (magazine), July 12, 2006
  10. Lawyer for Guantanamo inmate urges Pakistan govt help [4] June 2, 2008 mirror
  11. Pakistanis still languishing in Guantanamo Bay without trial [5] Jan Khaskheli June 2, 2008 mirror
  12. 12.0 12.1 Heart surgery must be at Guantanamo: Court denies Pakistani detainee's request to have procedure done off base [6] Joel Seidman November 20, 2006
  13. Detainee who refused Guantanamo medical procedure describes failing health [7] Michael Melia June 27, 2007

External links[]


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