Mamdouh Habib
| Mamdouh Habib Arabic: ممدوح حبيب |
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Habib at an anti-war convention
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| Born |
3 June 1955 Alexandria, Egypt |
| Arrested | 5 October 2001 |
| Released | 11 January 2005 |
| Detained at | Guantanamo Bay detainment camps |
| ISN | 661 |
| Status | Released |
| Spouse | Maha Habib |
| Children | Islam Hassam, Ahmed Mandouh Habib, Mustafa Habib, Hajer Habib |
Mamdouh Habib is an Egyptian and Australian citizen with dual nationality, best known for having been held for more than three years by the United States as an enemy combatant, by both the CIA and military authorities. He was sent by extraordinary rendition from Pakistan to Egypt after arrest, in violation of international law. He was held the longest at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp as an enemy combatant. Finally released without charges in January 2005, Habib struggled to have his account of his experiences believed, as he alleged he had been tortured by the CIA, Egyptians, and US military, at times with Australian intelligence officers present. For some time, each of the governments denied his allegations, but they have gradually been confirmed.
Arrested after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 during a trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Habib was interrogated there by Pakistani and the United States CIA agents before being shipped by extraordinary rendition to Egypt, where he was held for six months and interrogated more under torture. The CIA transferred him back to a black site in Afghanistan for more torture and interrogation, then to US military custody. In 2002 Habib was transferred to the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. He continued to be held without charges and suffered coercive interrogation.
The United States accused Habib of having had knowledge of the 11 September 2001 attacks, training the hijackers, staying at an al-Qaeda safe house in Afghanistan, conducting surveillance, helping to transfer chemical weapons, and planning to hijack the aircraft used in the 11 September attacks. He confessed to many acts under torture. But, there was no evidence to support these claims.
With legal support, Habib filed for a writ of habeas corpus to challenge his detention. His case of Habib v. Bush was one of two consolidated under Rasul v. Bush (2004). The United States Supreme Court ruled in it that US courts had jurisdiction over Guantanamo and that detainees had the right to challenge their detentions in US courts. Following an article in the Washington Post about Habib's being taken by extraordinary rendition and held secretly in Egypt, the United States decided to release him without charges in January 2005. After Habib returned to Australia in January 2005, officials eventually acknowledged that he "knew nothing about terrorism".
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Wikipedia