FBI
in threat to torture ‘terror’ suspect
While the clampdown on so-called terrorism suspects continues, it
is emerging that agents working for foreign states have been given
unhindered access to interrogate the suspects. And their mandate
is not limited to questioning, chilling threats of torture are being
made by American and British secret agents.
Suspects held at Kileleshwa police station who talked to The Friday
Bulletin spoke of the numerous visits made by the agents pressing
them to reveal their “terrorist” connections.
An
American citizen who fell victim to the crackdown expressed concern
about his fate after Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) agents
told him either to admit that he was a terrorist or be ready for
grave consequences. “They told me that I will be severely
tortured if I do not admit that I was a terrorist,” Amir Muhammad
said. He talked to The Friday Bulletin moments after being brought
back at the station from an interrogation session at a Nairobi hotel.
A heavily tinted American made US embassy vehicle registration number
29CD385K with several agents drove him back to the station.
Amir,
a United States citizen of Egyptian descent said he went to Somalia
in August last year after being attracted by the Islamic ideals
epitomised by the Union of Islamic Courts. “I went there when
the country was in a state of stability under the rule of the sharia
(Islamic law) and there was no danger of war,” he said.
He
challenged the police to arraign him in court if they had evidence
to point to his involvement in any illegal activity.
His
cellmate, 22-year old British born Muhammad Ezzouek, also insists
that he travelled to Somalia in September last year to find solace
in the country under Islamic law. “Being a young Muslim I
saw that the Islamic Courts were establishing shariah and I was
interested in studying the Islamic law in depth,” he says.
Like Amir, he too had a fair share of visits from the British intelligence
agency MI5. He complained that they have consistently been threatening
him. “They told me I would remain in the cell for the rest
of my life,” he said.
He
denies any links to so-called terrorism activities. Amir and Muhammad
were arrested as they fled the mayhem, which followed the Ethiopian
invasion of Somalia. Muhammad Ezzouke was on Tuesday morning taken
from the station and driven to Jomo Kenyatta international Airport
possibly for deportation to Britain.
Also
being held at Kileleshwa is Ali Musa Mwarusi, who hails from Ukunda
in Kwale district. He says he went to Somalia in October last year
in the company of his brother Khalfan Musa after being told of employment
opportunities brought about by the peaceful environment initiated
by the Islamic Courts. They were employed at a construction site
in Mdoa near the Kenyan border and after war broke out, they were
advised to return home till the situation stabilised. But immediately
after crossing the border, they were arrested and bundled in a police
land rover before being flown to Lamu and then driven to Nairobi.
His brother has since been separated from him and is believed to
be held at Lan’gata police station.
“They
insist that I am a terrorist,” he said lamenting that after
more than a month in detention, he has not been brought to court
to prove his innocence. Officials from the terror police have on
occasions questioned him about the masjids which he prays from,
Islamic scholars and acquaintances. When a group of individuals
paid him a visit over the weekend, the police demanded to know who
they were . “I told them they were my Muslim brothers concerned
about my plight,” he quipped.
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