Ahmad Al Halabi

Infobox Military Person
name=Ahmad Al HalabiUnited States Air Force
lived=1979-
placeofbirth=Syria
placeofdeath=


caption=
nickname="Ally"
allegiance=flag|United States of America
branch= air force|United States
serviceyears=2000–2004
rank=Airman Basic (formerly Senior Airman)
commands=
unit=60th Logistics Readiness Squadron
battles=
awards=
laterwork=

Ahmad Al Halabi is an American Muslim Airman who served in the U.S. Air Force. He wasassigned an interpreter at the military detainment camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Ahmad was accused and detained based on espionage related charges. All espionage charges were later dismissed. Al-Halabi pled guilty to possessing and transporting classified information, violating a general regulation, and lying to investigators. In September 2004, he was sentenced at Travis AFB, California to a Bad Conduct Discharge, 295 days confinement (essentially time served), and reduction to E-1 rank.

Al Halabi served with James Yee while at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

At his trial, Al Halabi acknowledged taking documents, but only as souvenirs, or "war trophies." Halabi retains:

:"Senior Airman Ahmad Al Halabi still has homework from high school, 8-year-old utility bills and the business cards from the Air Force recruiters who got him to join four years ago."

In a controversial move, military investigators raided the offices of a military defense counsel at Vandenberg AFB California, and seized a computer, looking for further evidence of his guilt. This was because he had apparently accessed a "hidden" web page during a break in his Article 32 hearing, but later discovered that it was not hidden, it just didn't have the proper links.

Military Prosecutors later acknowledged that of the 200 documents under consideration, all but three were unclassified. U.S. Southern Command determined the documents were classified in February 2004, but the Department of Defense later determined all but three (which were stapled together) were actually unclassifed.

Major Kim London, one of Halabi's three Defense Counsel said::"“The government oversold, overcharged and overreacted in this case and now they’re trying to save face, It was suspicion, not evidence, that made people jump to conclusions, The fact is, he was stereotyped.”"

Lt Col Bryan Wheeler, lead prosecutor for the U.S. Air Force, disagreed pointing out that Halabi's crimes were "serious." [http://www.masnet.org/news.asp?id=1691]

The case received much media attention, including front page coverage by The New York Times, The Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Los Angeles Times. The case was also featured on CBS 60 Minutes and National Public Radio's "All Things Considered.

Al Halabi now lives outside the United States with his wife and newborn girl.

The Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed his conviction and sentence on April 11, 2007 (see link below). His appeal to the United States Court of Appeals of the Armed Forces was denied in September 2007. [ [http://www.armfor.uscourts.gov/journal/2007Jrnl/2007Sep.htm Daily Journal for September 2007 ] ]

ee also

*James Yee
*Jack Farr
*Ahmed F. Mehalba

References

External links

* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A44930-2004Jan24?language=printer Guantanamo Spy Cases Evaporate: Chaplain and Arabic Translator Are Now Facing Only Lesser Charges] , Washington Post, January 25, 2004
* [http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-09-22-gitmo-deal_x.htm Airman's spying charges dropped] , USA Today, September 22, 2004
* [http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2004-09-23-gitmo-airman_x.htm Airman says he did 'a dumb thing' but was no spy] , USA Today, September 23, 2004
* [http://www.airforcetimes.com/story.php?f=1-AIRPAPER-371122.php Al Halabi spy charges dropped: Documents were ‘war trophies,’ airman says] , Air Force Times, October 4, 2004
* [Muslim American Society News Release, September 23, 2004] [http://www.masnet.org/news.asp?id=1691] "U.S. Drops Espionage Charges Against Syrian-American Airman,"
* [https://afcca.law.af.mil/content/afcca_opinions/cp/al_halabi-36272.pc2.pdf?language=printer Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals decision, April 11, 2007]
* [http://www.armfor.uscourts.gov/journal/2007Jrnl/2007Sep.htm] Denial of appeal, United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces