The strange case of Ravil Mingazov, Ballet dancer in Guantanimo

[grantcart]

Fact One: He is older and from Russia

Mingazov, 42, is the last of eight Russian citizens from Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Chelyabinsk, and Tyumen who were held prisoner at Guantanamo. The other seven were transferred to Russia in 2004.




Fact Two: Was a Russian ballet dancer

Mingazov was a ballet and folk dancer in a Russian Army ensemble in the early 2000s. He said he left Russia for religious reasons.




Fact Three: Converted to Islam and fled Russia

Mingazov, who fled Russia after converting to Islam, was captured in Pakistan in 2002. The U.S. military claimed he was staying at a safe house belonging to suspected terrorist Abu Zubaydah at the time of his capture and had undergone training to become a terrorist.

Mingazov claims he was captured in a guest house for refugees and denies having known Zubaydah or even having seen Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.




Fact Four: Doesn't want to return to Russia

CHALLY, Russia -- The mother of the last Russian citizen being held at Guantanamo Bay says he does not want to return to Tatarstan because he fears he will be mistreated in Russian custody, RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service reports.

Zuhra Waliullina, the mother of Ravil Mingazov, told RFE/RL on May 17 from Tatarstan that her son feared being "tortured" as another Guantanamo detainee who returned to Russia after his release from the U.S. detention center in Cuba alleged.

She added that he wanted to settle in a predominantly Muslim country.




Fact Five: Two cities have offered him a home


Two cities in Massachusetts, Amherst and Leverett, have passed resolutions offering Mingazov and one other detainee residence in their communities if the U.S. government were to allow it.





Fact Six: Court has ordered his release by June 15th

A U.S. federal court in Washington ruled last week that Mingazov, who has been imprisoned at Guantanamo since 2002, must be released by June 15 as the government has no reason to detain him.





Fact Seven: All of the above was reported by Radio Free Europe:

http://www.rferl.org/content/Guantanamo_Prisoners_Mother_Says_Son_Fears_Returning_To_Russia/2046100.html

[saracat]

1. Why would Mass want him if he wants to live in a "predominently Mulim country" ? Does no Muslim

Country want to take him or will we not allow him released to one?

[grantcart]

3. I believe that the cities were expressing solidarity

[NJmaverick]

2. K & R!