Hadj Boudella

Hadj Boudella is a citizen of Bosnia who was wrongfully detained for over six years in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camps, in Cuba.[2]

Hadj Boudella
Born (1965-04-18) April 18, 1965[1]
Algeria
Detained at Guantanamo Bay camp
Other name(s) Boudella al Hajj
ISN10006
Charge(s)No charges (unlawful detained)
StatusReleased in December 2008 after winning his habeas corpus
OccupationWorked with Bosnian orphans
SpouseNađa Dizdarević

He was born in Algeria, moved to Bosnia, married Nađa Dizdarević a Bosnian woman, and became a Bosnian citizen. Boudella, and five associates of his, who were also Algerian-born Bosnians were arrested by Bosnian authorities. Local United States intelligence officials said they detected "chatter" that implicated the six in a conspiracy to bomb the US embassy in Bosnia.

He won his habeas corpus and US District Court Judge Richard J. Leon wrote that there was no evidence that Boudella intended to travel to Afghanistan to take up arms against US forces. Judge Leon declared Boudella's detention as unlawful and ordered his release in November 2008. He was released from Guantanamo and returned to his family in Bosnia on December 16, 2008.[3]

Wife hunger strike
Main article: Nađa Dizdarević

In June 2005, Boudella's wife, Nađa Dizdarević, started the first of several hunger strikes to protest her husbands detention at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She said she would end her hunger strike only when she received written confirmation from Bosnia's presidency it would address the issue with Washington.[4]

Release

On December 16, 2008, Hadj Boudella, Mustafa Idr, and Mohammed Nechle were released to Bosnia.[5][6][7]

On March 3, 2009, El Khabar reported that the Bush administration forced Idr and the other two men to sign undertakings that they would not sue the US government for their kidnapping, before they would be released.[8]

See also

References
  1. The Independent (2006-05-17). "Full list of Guantanamo detainees". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2007-08-17. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
  2. OARDEC (2006-05-15). "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. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
  3. "Freed Bosnian Calls Guantánamo the "worst place in the world" | Andy Worthington".
  4. "Guantanamo Prisoner's Bosnian Wife Begins Hunger Strike". Cage Prisoners. 2005-12-06. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
  5. Mike Melia (2008-12-16). "Lawyer: Gitmo detainees arrive in Bosnia". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2008-12-17. Retrieved 2008-12-17.
  6. William Glaberson (2008-12-15). "U.S. Is Set to Release 3 Detainees From Base". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-12-17.
  7. "Guantanamo 'worst place on Earth'". The Australian. 2008-12-17. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2008-12-17.
  8. "Documents allege Bosnian Algerians committed not to sue the U.S." El Khabar. 2009-03-04. Archived from the original on 2010-10-31. Retrieved 2009-03-03. The U.S. has handed over the Bosnian Government documents alleging that Bosnian-Algerians recently freed from Guantanamo detention camp have signed commitments depriving them from the right to sue in justice U.S. and Bosnian officials, responsible for their "abduction" in Sarajevo, seven years ago, spokesman of Bosnian Al-Ansar Association, Ayman Awad told El Khabar.
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