Three prisoners taken by the Democratic Forces of Syria and claimed to be fighters of the Islamic State sit under guard on a pickup truck near al-Shadadi town, Hasakah countryside, Syria, Feb. 18, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said
New York Times: American Detained by U.S. Military Says He Wants to Sue
WASHINGTON — An American citizen who has been held in military custody in Iraq for four months has told lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union that he wants to bring a lawsuit challenging his detention and wants the group to represent him, the organization said in a court filing on Friday.
The statements came from a man who, in September, surrendered to a Syrian militia, which then turned him over to American forces as a suspected Islamic State fighter. He made the statements in an unusual videoconference with A.C.L.U. lawyers on Wednesday, the court filing said. A federal judge last month had ordered the military to let the lawyers talk to the detainee.
The court filing was sparse on details, saying that during the Jan. 3 videoconference, the man informed the A.C.L.U. lawyers that “he wishes to continue this habeas corpus action” challenging the legality of his detention and asking to be released, and for the group to represent him.
The military has refused to identify the man other than to say that he existed and was being held as an enemy combatant. In October, the A.C.L.U. filed a lawsuit on his behalf challenging his detention. In an interview, Jonathan Hafetz, the lead A.C.L.U. lawyer on the case, said he was one of three attorneys who spoke to the man, and that they conversed in English.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: So we have an enemy combatant .... allegedly fighting with ISIS forces .... being captured by U.S. backed Syrian rebels on the battlefield. They hand him over to U.S. forces because he claims that he is a U.S. citizen, where he is then transferred to Iraq where he has been in prison for four months. As to his links to the U.S. .... according to reports the man in question was born on American soil by visiting Saudi parents (anchor baby?), but he was raised in Saudi Arabia. There are also reports that U.S. authorities want to transfer him to Saudi Arabia, but the U.S. judge presiding over this case stopped the transfer so that he could meet U.S. lawyers. After meeting these lawyers, the suspect made it very clear that he wants to be released from detention, and I can only presume that he wants to be released in a country of his choice. Being released in Iraq would probably result in him being arrested. Ditto in Saudi Arabia.
More News On A U.S. Citizen Being Held In Military Custody As An Enemy Combatant In Iraq Suing To Be Released
US-Saudi citizen to challenge his military detention -- The Hill
American ISIS suspect asks ACLU to challenge nearly 4-month detention by US military -- Washington Post
U.S. man held as ‘enemy combatant’ in Iraq lawyers up with ACLU -- NBC
American Held By U.S. Military Sees and Hires Attorneys to Challenge Detention -- Daily Beast
ACLU will represent U.S. citizen detained in Iraq -- Politico
American 'Isis fighter' held in Iraq challenges detention after seeking civil rights advice from ACLU -- The Independent
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