Mohmmad Ahmad Ali Tahar

Infobox WoT detainees
subject_name = Mohmmad Ahmad Ali Tahar


image_size =
image_caption =
date_of_birth = Birth year and age|1980
place_of_birth = Ib, Yemen
date_of_death =
place_of_death =
detained_at = Guantanamo
id_number = 679
group =
alias = Mohammad Ahmad Ali Tahar
charge = no charge, held in extrajudicial detention
penalty =
status =
occupation = student
spouse =
parents =
children =

Mohmmad Ahmad Ali Tahar is a citizen of Yemen, held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, in Cuba.His detainee ID number is 679.American intelligence analysts estimate he was born in 1980, in Ib, Yemen.

Identity

Captive 679 was identified inconsistently on official Department of Defense documents:
*Captive 679 was identified as Mohmmad Ahmad Ali Tahar on the Summary of Evidence memo prepared for his Combatant Status Review Tribunal, on 27 October 2004, on Summary of Evidence memo prepared for his first annual Administrative Review Board, on 2 June 2005, and on seven official lists of captives' names.cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/000500-000599.pdf#40
title=Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Tahar, Mohmmad Ahmad Ali
date=27 October 2004
pages=pages 40-41
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2008-03-01] cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/ARB_Round_1_Factors_000495-000594.pdf#94
title=Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Tahar, Mohmmad Ahmad Ali
date=2 June 2005
pages=pages 94-95
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2008-03-06] cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/detainee_list.pdf
title=List of detainee who went through complete CSRT process
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
date=April 20 2006
accessdate=2007-09-29] 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] cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/index_CSRT_unclassified_summaries.pdf
title=Index for Combatant Status Review Board unclassified summaries of evidence
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
date=July 17 2007
accessdate=2007-09-29] cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/index_CSRT_detainees_testimony.pdf
title=Index for testimony
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
date=September 4 2007
accessdate=2007-09-29] cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/index_ARB_Round_1_transcripts_documents.pdf
title=Index of Transcripts and Certain Documents from ARB Round One
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
date=August 9 2007
accessdate=2007-09-29] cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/index_ARB_Round_1_Detention_Transfer_Factors.pdf
title=Index to Summaries of Detention-Release Factors for ARB Round One
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
date=August 9 2007
accessdate=2007-09-29] cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/index_ARB_Round_2_Detention_Transfer_Factors.pdf
title=Index of Summaries of Detention-Release Factors for ARB Round Two
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
date=July 17 2007
accessdate=2007-09-29]
*Captive 679 was identified as Mohammad Ahmad Ali Tahar in the transcript from his Combatant Status Review Triunal on December 7 2004, on the Summary of Evidence memo prepared for his second annual Administrative Review Board, on 22 March 2006.cite web
url= [http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/Set_33_2302-2425_Revised.pdf#84
title=Summarized Unsworn Detainee Statement (but see page 2 where the detainee agrees to take his own oath and makes a sworn statement):
date=December 7 2004
pages=pages 84-99
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2008-03-06] cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/ARB_Round_2_Factors_700-798.pdf#15
title=Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Tahar, Mohammad Ahmad Ali
date=22 March 2006
pages=pages 15-17
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2008-03-06]

Background

Captive 679 was apprehended by a mixed force of Pakistani and American counter-terrorism officials in March 2002.He was captured in an off-campus residence provided for students of Salafi University in Faisalabad, Pakistan together with a dozen other foreign students. He claims he was just a student at Salafi University, and had no ties to terrorism.

He faces the allegations that his photo was identified as someone who had been seen by an al Qaida member in Afghanistan, and that he had received a recruitment letter from the Taliban.

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 date=December 2007

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.

ummary of Evidence memo

A Summary of Evidence memo was prepared for Mohmmad Ahmad Ali Tahar'sCombatant Status Review Tribunal, on
27 October 2004.cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/000500-000599.pdf#40
title=Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Tahar, Mohmmad Ahmad Ali
date=27 October 2004
pages=pages 40-41
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2008-03-01] The memo listed the following allegations against him:

:"'a The detainee is associated with the Taliban and al Qaida.:#The detainee traveled to Yemen from Pakistan in September 2001.:#The detainee was sent by the Jama’at al-Tablighi sic to travel.:#The detainee obtained his travel visa through Jama’at al-Tablighi sic.:#The detainee was met by a member of Jama’at al-Tablighi sic in Pakistan.:#Jama’at al-Tablighi sic, a Pakistan based Islamic missionary organization is being used as a cover to mask travel and activities of terrorism including members of al Qaida.:#The detainee was sent a personal greeting from the Taliban Deputy Minister of Intelligence.:#A senior al Qaida lieutenant recognized the detainee in a photograph.:#The senior al Qaida lieutenant ran an al Qaida safe house where a number of al Qaida members were captured.:#"The detainee was captured in this safe house.:#"The detainee stated that he is a terrorist.

Transcript

Tahar chose to participate in his Combatant Status Review Tribunal.cite web
url=http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/Set_3_0205-0319_Revised.pdf#100
title=Summarized Unsworn Detainee Statement (but see page 2 where the detainee agrees to take his own oath and makes a sworn statement):
date=December 7 2004
pages=pages 100-116
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2008-03-06] cite web
url= [http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/Set_33_2302-2425_Revised.pdf#84
title=Summarized Unsworn Detainee Statement (but see page 2 where the detainee agrees to take his own oath and makes a sworn statement):
date=December 7 2004
pages=pages 84-99
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2008-03-06] In response to a court order the Department of Defense was forced to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request and publish a sixteen page summarized transcript from Tahar's Tribunal.

Opening statement

*Ali Tahar denied being a member or associate of any group, not al Qaeda, not the Taliban, not even Tablighi Jamaat, although he acknowledged that Talbligh had helped with his travel arrangements.
*Ali Tahar claimed her has learned there were Tabligh branches in both the USA and in Tel Aviv.
*Ali Tahar claimed he had never heard of al Qaeda or the Taliban, prior to his arrival in Guantanamo. He said he still didn't really know anything them.
*Ali Tahar said he was just a medical student, in Pakistan, where he was captured.
*Ali Tahar said all his travel documents to Pakistan were completely in order.
*Ali Tahar said none of his letters to his family. He had been counting on their help in establishing proof that the allegations against him were based on incorrect information, and he was very disappointed none of his mail was being received.

Response to the allegations

Response to Tribunal questions

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.

First annual Administrative Review Board

A Summary of Evidence memo was prepared for Mohmmad Ahmad Ali Tahar's first annual Administrative Review Board, on 2 June 2005.cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/ARB_Round_1_Factors_000495-000594.pdf#94
title=Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Tahar, Mohmmad Ahmad Ali
date=2 June 2005
pages=pages 94-95
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2008-03-06] The memo listed factors for and against his continued detention.

The following primary factors favor continued detention:

:"'a. Commitment:#The detainee traveled from Yemen to Pakistan in mid-September 2001.:#the detainee stated he is a terrorist.

:"'b. Connections/Associations:#The detainee was sent to Pakistan by a member of the Jama'at al-Tablighi sic.:#The detainee obtained his travel visa through the Jama'at al Tablighi.:#The Jama'at al Tablighi, a Pakistani based Islamic missionary organization, is being used as a cover to mask travel and activities of terrorists including members of al Qaida.:#A senior al Qaida lieutenant recognized the detainee in a photograph.:#The senior al Qaida lieutenant ran an al Qaida safe house where a number of al Qaida members were captured.:#The detainee was captured in this safehouse.:#The detainee was sent a personal greeting from the Taliban Deputy Minister of Intelligence.

:"'c. Other Relevant Data:#The detainee stated if Muslim scholars said the attacks of September 11, 2001 were the correct actions to take, he would support the scholars.:#The detainee stated if Muslim scholars say that people must die, Muslims must follow their words.:#The detainee stated he wants the infidels, non-Muslims, destroyed.:#The detainee said those who do not follow Islam will go to hell or be killed.

The following primary factors favor release or transfer:

:

Transcript

Tahar chose to participate in his Administrative Review Board hearing. cite web
url=http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/ARB_Transcript_Set_8_20751-21016.pdf#71
title=Summary of Administrative Review Board Proceedings of ISN 579
date=date redacted
author=OARDEC
pages=pages 71-82
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2008-03-06] In response to a court order the Department of Defense responded to a Freedom of Information Act request and published a twelve page summarized transcript from his first annual Review Board in the spring of 2006.

Enemy Combatant Election Form

Tahar's Assisting Military Officer reported on notes recorded on the Enemy Combatant Election Form.He reported they met on
13 June 2005 for 90 minutes, and on
15 June 2005 for 40 minutes.He reported Tahar was "polite and cooperative throughout both interviews."

Testimony

*Tahar confirmed he had traveled from Yemen to Pakistan.
*Tahar denied claiming to be a terrorist.
*Tahar confirmed that a member of Talibhi Jamaat had helped him with his travel visa. He denied any knowledge of a tie between the Tabligh movement and terrorism.
*Tahar stated he was captured in his University dormitory.
*Tahar pointed out that the captive who identified his photo made a mistake, and asked for him to be brought to identify him in person.
*Tahar denied that he had ever said he would support violence just because Muslim scholars endorsed it.
*Tahar denied stating that he wants infidels and non-Muslims to be destroyed.
*Tahar confirmed that he had no knowledge of plans to attack the USA or US interests.
*Tahar stated that he never broke any laws in Yemen or Pakistan, and suggested his capture was due to a case of mistaken identity.
*Tahar denied knowing any al Qaida or Taliban members, and that he had never heard of al Qaida until after his capture.
*Tahar said the GUantanamo guards had described the Review Board as "a matter of paperwork":quotation
Everybody is saying that these ARBs are nothing but a formality. These are notinterrogators even you don't know that this is just a formality.They, the soldiers and interrogators, said it was a matter of paperwork and paper pushers and the American politics is just playing its rold and that's true.You can check with your countrymen, you'll find out that's true. A lot of people, they end up leaving the camp herewithout having to attend the ARB or the Tribunal. They were accused of larger crimes than myself. You people know that as well.
*Tahar said he knew the owner or manager of the house as "Issa Pakistani".

econd annual Administrative Review Board

A Summary of Evidence memo was prepared for Mohammad Ahmad Ali Tahar's second annualAdministrative Review Board, on
22 March 2006.cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/ARB_Round_2_Factors_700-798.pdf#15
title=Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Tahar, Mohammad Ahmad Ali
date=22 March 2006
pages=pages 15-17
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2008-03-06] The memo listed factors for and against his continued detention.

The following primary factors favor continued detention:

:"'a. Commitment:#The detainee wanted to study medicine in Pakistan. The detainee was told by a visiting Jamaat al Tablique sic missionary, that before he could do so, the detainee would have to study the Koran.:#In mid-September of 2001, the detainee traveled from Sanaa, Yemen to Karachi, Pakistan via Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The detainee was met in Karachi by someone form the Jamaat al Tablique sic who took him to the Maki Mosque. The detainee then traveled to Lahore, Pakistan and spent two days there, then he went to a mosque in Raywant, Pakistan.:#The headquarters of the Tablique Jammat sic is located in Raywand.:#The detainee then enrolled at the Salafeyah University in Faisalabad, a university run by the Jamaat al Tablique sic.:#After Ramadan, the detainee moved from university housing to an off-campus house with five fellow Yemeni. There were about 12 other students already at this house.

:"'b. Connections/Associations:#A representative from the Jamaat al Tablique Mission sic went to the Pakistani embassy and got the detainee a visa.:#Tablique Jammat sic is a Pakistan-based Islamic missionary organization used as a cover for action by Islamic extremists, including members of al Qaida.:#The detainee was sent a personal greeting from the Taliban Deputy Minister of Intelligence.:#The detainee was recognized by a senior al Qaida operative as someone from the Crescent Mills residence in Faisalabad, Pakistan.:#A number of suspect al Qaida members were arrested at the al Qaida Crescent Mills safe house in March 2002.

:"'c. Intent:#The detainee stated that he should be considered a terrorist.:#The detainee stated that if muslim scholars say that people must die, muslims must follow the scholars' words. The detainee stated if the scholars issued a fatwa for the attacks of 11 September 2001, then the attacks would have been legitimate.:#The detainee threatened to instigate an uprising in the Guantanamo camp, claiming that the Americans are assaulting Islam.:#The detainee advised he wishes to remain in the group of detainees who do not cooperated and who will never leave.

The following primary factors favor release or transfer:

:

Press reports

Canadian journalist, and former special assistant to US President George W. Bush, David Frum, published an article based on his own reading of the transcripts from the Combatant Status Review Tribunals, on November 11 2006.cite news
url=http://frum.nationalreview.com/post/?q=OTQxMWVkMjJlNWZiMmE3ZmRlYTM5MDU4ZWFlOTQxOGY=
title=Gitmo Annotated
date=November 11 2006
publisher=National Review
author=David Frum
accessdate=2007-04-23] It was Frum who coined the term "Axis of evil" for use in a speech he wrote for Bush. Tahar's transcript was one of the nine Frum briefly summarized.His comment on Tahar was:

Frum came to the conclusion that all nine of the men whose transcript he summarized had obviously lied. He did not, however, state how he came to the conclusion they lied.His article concluded with the comment:

References