Guantánamo Britons to sue the US over abuse claims

[cal04]

• Guantánamo Bay suspects to sue US
• Claims of torture and abuse
• Men consistently denied any terror links

FOUR British men who were released from Guantánamo Bay detention centre after three years in captivity have formally sued the US government after alleging they had been subjected to torture and other human rights violations.

The groundbreaking legal claim was brought in Washington yesterday by Shafiq Rasul, Asif Iqbal and Rhuhel Ahmed, who during their incarceration became known as the Tipton Three, and Jamal al-Harith, from Manchester, who have each demanded £5.5 million in the lawsuits from the United States.

The men, who were captured in Afghanistan during the US "war on terror" in the aftermath of the attacks on 11 September 2001 , have always denied any involvement with terrorist groups.

In August, Mr Ahmed, 22, Mr Rasul, 27, and Mr Iqbal, 22, accused the US of a shocking catalogue of abuses. In a 115-page dossier, the three men, who were released in March this year, alleged that they were beaten, stripped, shackled and deprived of sleep during their detention.

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1245902004

[Benhurst]

1. As well they should. n/t

[TexasProgresive]

2. Article from the Guardian-UK

Guantánamo Britons sue Rumsfeld

http://www.guardian.co.uk/guantanamo/story/0,13743,1337686,00.html

Vikram Dodd
Thursday October 28, 2004
The Guardian

Four Britons who claim they were repeatedly tortured at Guantánamo Bay yesterday began suing Donald Rumsfeld and other US military leaders for £6m each in compensation.