Saifullah Paracha

Infobox WoT detainees
subject_name = Saifullah Paracha

---

image_size =
image_caption =
date_of_birth = Birth date|1947|08|17
place_of_birth = Mongwal, Pakistan
date_of_death =
place_of_death =
detained_at = Guantanamo
id_number = 1094
group =
alias =
charge = no charge, held in extrajudicial detention
penalty =
status =
occupation =
spouse =
parents =
children =

Saifullah Paracha is a citizen of Pakistan, held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camps, in Cuba.cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/news/May2006/d20060515%20List.pdf
title=List of Individuals Detained by the Department of Defense at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from January 2002 through May 15, 2006
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
date=May 15 2006
accessdate=2007-09-29] Paracha's Guantanamo detainee ID number is 1094.The Department of Defense reports that Paracha was born on August 17 1947, in Mongwal, Pakistan.

His son, Uzair Paracha, was convicted in 2005 for providing support to Al-Qaeda, that included assistance for Majid Khan to obtain documents. [ [http://newyork.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel05/parachaconvic.htm U.S. Convicts Pakistani of Providing Support to al Qaeda] USDoJ November 25 2005] [ [http://www.newsweek-interactive.org/id/10184831/from/RL.2/ Jury convicts man accused of aiding al-Qaida] Associated Press November 23 2005]

Paracha's Family:

Paracha has 4 children and a wife. Two daughters and two sons, Uzair (27), Muneeza (24), Mustafa (17) and Zahra (14).cite web
url=http://www.freeparachas.org/saifullah.htm
title=Saifullah Paracha's Background and Family
accessdate=2007-06-15] They had to face immense financial problems according to numerous newspaper reports and have undoubtedly stated Paracha's innocence. They say that this whole detention period he's facing is a joke and just a way for the Pakistani government to earn a mere $5000.

Combatant Status Review Tribunal

] Three chairs were reserved for members of the press, but only 37 of the 574 Tribunals were observed.cite web
url=http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=3902
title=Annual Administrative Review Boards for Enemy Combatants Held at Guantanamo Attributable to Senior Defense Officials
publisher=United States Department of Defense
date=March 6 2007
accessdate=2007-09-22] ]

Initially the Bush administration asserted that they could withhold all the protections of the Geneva Conventions to captives from the war on terror. This policy was challenged before the Judicial branch. Critics argued that the USA could not evade its obligation to conduct a competent tribunals to determine whether captives are, or are not, entitled to the protections of prisoner of war status.

Subsequently the Department of Defense instituted the Combatant Status Review Tribunals. The Tribunals, however, were not authorized to determine whether the captives were "lawful combatants" -- rather they were merely empowered to make a recommendation as to whether the captive had previously been correctly determined to match the Bush administration's definition of an enemy combatant.

Paracha chose to participate in his Combatant Status Review Tribunal. [http://wid.ap.org/documents/detainees/saifullahparacha.pdf documents (.pdf)] from Saifullah Paracha's Combatant Status Review Tribunal - [http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/Set_10_1089-1144.pdf - mirror pages 1-19] ]

Charges against Paracha

Paracha was accused and had many charges against him, but the most significant one during the trial was that he exported nuclear weapons to other countries in his Textile Import/Export business. He has denied all charges and has very frankly said:

"Are Nuclear weapons something you can buy off from a shelf?"

aifullah Paracha v. George W. Bush

A writ of habeas corpus, Saifullah Paracha v. George W. Bush, was submitted on Saifullah Paracha's behalf.cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/publicly_filed_CSRT_records_4608-4737.pdf#1
title=Saifullah Paracha v. George W. Bush 04-CV-2022 (PLF)
date=8 December 2004
pages=pages 1-58
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2008-06-10] In response, on 21 December 2004,the Department of Defense published fifty-eightpages of unclassified documents related to his Combatant Status Review Tribunal.

On 8 December 2004 Tribunal panel 24 convened and confirmed Saifullah Paracha's "enemy combatant" status.

Administrative Review Board hearing

Detainees who were determined to have been properly classified as "enemy combatants" were scheduled to have their dossier reviewed at annual Administrative Review Board hearings. The Administrative Review Boards weren't authorized to review whether a detainee qualified for POW status, and they weren't authorized to review whether a detainee should have been classified as an "enemy combatant".

They were authorized to consider whether a detainee should continue to be detained by the United States, because they continued to pose a threat -- or whether they could safely be repatriated to the custody of their home country, or whether they could be set free.

Paracha chose to participate in his Administrative Review Board hearing. [http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/ARB_Transcript_Set_11_21662-22010.pdf#138 Summarized transcript (.pdf)] , from Saifullah Paracha's "Administrative Review Board hearing" - page 138]

Press reports

On July 12 2006 the magazine "Mother Jones" provided excerpts from the transcripts of a selection of the Guantanamo detainees. [http://motherjones.com/news/feature/2006/07/detainee_sidebar.html "Why Am I in Cuba?"] , "Mother Jones (magazine)", July 12 2006] Paracha was one of the detainees profiled.According to the article his transcript contained the following exchange::"tribunal president: I do know you had some questions about the legality of your detention. That would be referred to other organizations of the government, but you will be receiving more specific instructions shortly of how to bring your question to U.S. courts.:"paracha: Your honor, I have been here 17 months; would that be before I expire?:"tribunal president: I would certainly hope so, especially since you are under the care of the U.S. government while you are here. As far as some of the other statements you made about jurisdiction, this is a U.S. government executive decision in regards to the detention of enemy combatants….:"paracha: Your honor, my question is that your executive order is applicable around the earth?:"tribunal president: It is a global war on terrorism.:"paracha: I know, sir, but you are not the master of the earth, sir….:"tribunal president: Would you be surprised to hear that Osama bin Laden founded Al Qaeda and Al Qaeda includes people from all over the world? People from America, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Philippines, and people from wherever?:"paracha: Sir, how could anybody know who Al Qaeda is?:"tribunal president:Good question. That’s a very good question.

On June 2 2008 Zachary Katznelson appealed to the Pakistani government for assistance, statingcite news
url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5giLUpVAaGUydZFrjW693FNPe4lXA
title=Lawyer for Guantanamo inmate urges Pakistan govt help
publisher=Agence France Press
date=June 2 2008
accessdate=2008-06-02
quote= [http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fafp.google.com%2Farticle%2FALeqM5giLUpVAaGUydZFrjW693FNPe4lXA&date=2008-06-02 mirror] ] cite news
url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=116193
title=Pakistanis still languishing in Guantanamo Bay without trial
publisher=The News (Pakistan)
author=Jan Khaskheli
date=June 2 2008
accessdate=2008-06-01
quote= [http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenews.com.pk%2Fprint1.asp%3Fid%3D116193&date=2008-06-02 mirror] ] :

Heart surgery

Paracha needed heart surgery.cite news
url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15816696/
title=Heart surgery must be at Guantanamo: Court denies Pakistani detainee's request to have procedure done off base
date=November 20 2006
publisher=MSNBC
author=Joel Seidman
accessdate=2007-01-12] Paracha's lawyer's appealed the camp medical authorities plans to perform the surgery in the Guantanamo camp infirmary's operating room.Paracha was concerned about the competence of the Guantanamo medical staff.Paracha's request to have his surgery performed off-island was turned down. The Guantanamo Bay Doctors and Military personnel told him that they had performed surgery on another man as well and his operation was successful. Paracha requested to at least talk to this man but the request was denied.

According to "MSNBC"::"Paracha's lawyer said that his client complained that several simple diagnostic examinations were not performed adequately by doctors at Guantanamo Naval Hospital. Gaillard Hunt, Paracha's lawyer, said that his client has had his hands and feet shackled when being examined at the base hospital and that several attempts to perform an electrocardiogram, or EKG, proved difficult for base medical staff."

According to a report from the "Associated Press" Paracha has had three heart attacks in custody.cite news
url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20070627-1450-guantanamo-ailingdetainee.html
title=Detainee who refused Guantanamo medical procedure describes failing health
author=Michael Melia
publisher=San Diego Union Tribune
date=June 27, 2007
accessdate=2007-01-12] The report stated Commander Rick Haupt claimed preparing facilities in case Paracha agreed to heart surgery cost $400,000. Mrs. Paracha has stated that Paracha's failing health should be reason enough to release him immediately if they would not look into the legal issues of the situation.

References

External links

* [http://www.theparachafamily.tk The Paracha Family: From 1947 till now] , a support site