Ex-Terror Detainee Says U.S. Tortured Him

Tells 60 Minutes He Was Held Underwater, Shocked And Suspended From the Ceiling

(CBS)  At Guantanamo Kurnaz says he endured endless months of interrogations, beatings at the hands of soldiers in riot gear, and physical cruelty which included going without sleep for weeks and solitary confinement for up to a month in cells that were sealed without ventilation or were set up to punish him with extreme conditions.

"It's dark inside. No lights. And they can punish you in isolation by coldness or by the heat. They have special air conditioners over there. Very strong. They can turn it very cold or very hot," Kurnaz says.

He says it went on year after year, always the same questions about al Qaeda, and the endless effort to break his will. He heard nothing from the outside and wondered whether anyone knew that he was there.

Then, in 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Guantanamo prisoners did have the right to lawyers. And to his complete surprise, one day Kurnaz was told he had a visitor. It was Baher Azmy, an American lawyer.

"He was chained to a bolt in the floor around his ankle," Azmy says, recalling his first meeting with Kurnaz. "And had an absolutely enormous beard that had marked the years that he was in detention. He looked like someone who had been shipwrecked, which, of course, in a sense, he really was."

Azmy is a professor at the Seton Hall Law School. He dug into the case and found that the military seemed to have invented some of the charges. Military prosecutors said one of Kurnaz’s friends was a suicide bomber, but the friend turned up alive and well in Germany.

"How could they have gotten that so wrong? I mean, you're either a suicide bomber or you're not. There's no in between," Pelley remarks.

"This goes to the utter preposterousness of the government’s legal process that they established in Guantanamo, this tribunal system that was supposed to differentiate from enemy combatant and civilian. So in order to justify that he was an enemy combatant, they simply made up an allegation about someone he was associated with," Azmy says.

But far worse than the false charges was the secret government file that Azmy uncovered.

Six months after Kurnaz reached Guantanamo, U.S. military intelligence had written, "criminal investigation task force has no definite link [or] evidence of detainee having an association with al Qaeda or making any specific threat toward the U.S."

At the same time, German intelligence agents wrote their government, saying, "USA considers Murat Kurnaz’s innocence to be proven. He is to be released in approximately six to eight weeks."

But Azmy says Kurnaz was kept at Guantanamo Bay for three and a half years after this memo was written in 2002.

[funniegurl]

I am ashamed to say I am an American. Why would I want to say I am from a country who beats people and mistreat them? America can be better than that. And **** you whoever said if you are so ashmaed then move. Ya know, I'm not going to move. I am going to be one of those people in America that change it. I'm gonna make it better and stand up for what I believe in. NO man or woman deserve that kind of treatment. I can't help but think of all those little *****'s the middle-east torturing and starving people. This could happen to ANYONE the government sees fit. That's horrible. We need more people to stand up to the "Patriot Act". It serves no purpose. You cannot take away people's freedoms in exchange for security. It causes distrust in the u.s. government by american citizens and mistrus among each other. It's sad. It's McCarthyism all over again? when will our so-called "leaders" realize we are repeating history all over again? Ever read the book 1984 by George Orwell? Yeah, it's called big brother and the government is a tolitarian government, much of like the u.s. is a fascist government now, not a federalist republic democracy. got a problem with me? email me. [e-mail]. i would certainly like to hear people's excuse as to how america's government is in the right and then i will laugh for whoever believes it. sickening.

[herceclipse11]

This is crap everyone knows we tortured this man and many others under false accusations i hope canada really does arrest bush for war crimes he is a lying piece of crap who deserves the firing squad. If u watch the movie about the british men that had proof that they werent terrorist yet were held for 4 years and all the gov had to do was call the brittish goverment to see they were arrested for being drunk and disorderly in public at the times they were supposed to have attacked or been involved in attack yet they didnt care sent a american soldier impersenating a british intelligence officer this is bull bush needs the firing squad and all u people out there who think he did even a bit of good need to be shot as well he did nothing for the american people he only cared about himself and those who he was making money with or from there is so much evidence that he is the worst kind of human being ever on this freaking planet yet racist money hungry pieces of crap seem to still support him God bless canada and I really hope they arrest this piece of worthless scum and throw away the key he is just as bad as hitler if he could get away with killing as many people and trying to commit genocide he would he is hitler reborn now many would look at my comments as outlandish but if u actually do ur research instead of having ur head up your butt u would see the truth as almost every real american does i am also ashamed to be an american as for dwolfe_87 I am seeking residence elsewher cause we are not free at all are goverment can listen in on are calls whenever they want even when we are not on are phones that is crap we have no freedom contrary to what everyonemay believe and if people actually did research they would believe the same thing f are government maybe it will get better but bush made us the one of the worst coutries ever are governmetn i one big lie and i am also ashamed to be an american for are government cares about nothing but money...!!!

[herceclipse11]

Once another abuse of powere I totally support are troops it is not there decision on what they do if they do not torture or treat innocent prisoners horribly they will alsoi be arrested and treated this same way all are government does is lie and lie some more we are not free are government is a big piece of crap who lies to make money overall on an unjust unresonable law anyone who agrees with what has happened to them and who thinks are goverment was right deserves to burn this is an abuse of power bush and those who control him are the ones who made these attacks possible it was bush and his friends who attacked the towers not the terrorist research for 5 seconds and ther eis so much evidence it was done only for money this is an abuse of power bush and his friends need a firing squad!!!!!

[bigsargent]

Negative!...We did our job and came when our country called,no matter what our mixed feelings were,We left our homes and families,to take up the mantle,after your fellow 3000+ americans,your neighbors,went down in flames in the towers,we aren''t the type to wait and see who''s winning before we act,We are doers not watchers,and maybe if more young people were raised with a sense of honor and selfless duty,be it military or peace corp,us 50 yr olds wouldn''t have to go,I didn''t vote for Bush,but I went to support my fellow soldier,make sure their heads were in the game,and to keep emotions in check,but I will take YOUR apology! Thank you

[emil321]

You guys owe him an apology :|

[bigsargent]

So...I knew "The Viking" as we called him,I was a block Sergeant at Gitmo,I can honestly say I never saw him tortured as he claims,maybe it happened before I got there ..I can''t say,I will say,though,He was well treated by me and my MP''s,He was given much respect because he didn''t cause trouble or try to harm the MP''s,We had a conversation,about justice once(I''m quite abit older than most GI''s)And I told him I don''t know if he is guilty or innocent,I''m not here to judge him,I''m here to take care of him till he is found guilty or innocent,right now you are a detainee,I said I hope for the most part some of you guys are innocent,you happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time,he seemed satisfied with that answer,and because sometimes he was a model detainee,if he asked for extra bread or fruit at mealtime,I didn''t mind giving it to him...but really the media is going to make all these guys guilty or innocent,millionaires..by false accusations the Media has gaurenteed that The USA will be wearing the scarlet letter,the mark of Cain for years,right now I''m sitting on the front line in Iraq,do I need to be here?probably not,but thats my decision,I''m here for my guys,and I question how the media has changed since WW2,it used to be loose lips sink ships,now lets see who can give the enemy the most info in the shortest time,lets shock those back home...if We had the media back then that we have now,I truly beleive we would be wearing black shirts with red armbands

[dwolfe_87]

cbs and 60 minutes should be ashamed of themselves for airing that story. i''m not saying that i don''t care about the way soldiers are treated here in the U.S. Im aware that the U.S. should be setting an example for the rest f the world, but on the other, this is no different than the tactics that are goin on overseas in the war on terror. our soldiers are getting beheaded and all sorts of other cruel things that we don''t hear about on the news. this show aired immediately after a breaking news headline, which read "local soldier matt maupin remains found". he had been missing for some time and nobody knew what happened to him. so in the future, cbs should strongly consider not airing anti-american shows. AND ONE MORE THING: iPlan4u, IF YOU ARE SO ASHAMED TO BE AN AMERICAN, YOU SHOULD SEEK RESIDENTS ELSEWHERE.

[iplan4u]

Your story about the plight of Murat Kurnaz is startling but, under the circumstances created by the Bush/Cheney cabal, not suprising. Their actions, and this case in particular, have brought shame to the United States, and makes me ashamed to be an American.

[gandy1941]

Thank you for the courage to air this story. Our freedom of speech must not be reserved for only the good things about America, but the bad as well. How can we hope to work for liberty and justice for all if we are not allowed to hear anything but news about our good deeds?

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by earthlives at 08:40 AM

An innocent man gets tortured, and you couldn''t be happier. Go post on FOX News you dweeb!

[feelfree1]

This story is perfectly believable, and there is no reason to doubt this man''s account, but while some people might argue as to whether or not this particular instance is true, what we DO know is that torture has been a widespread practice under the Bush regime, and that in some cases, the USA even tortures prisoners to DEATH:

ABC News-

"The sources said that in that case a young, untrained junior officer caused the death of one detainee at a mud fort dubbed the "salt pit" that is used as a prison. They say the death occurred when the prisoner was left to stand naked throughout the harsh Afghanistan night after being doused with cold water. He died, they say, of hypothermia."

"According to the sources, a second CIA detainee died in Iraq and a third detainee died following harsh interrogation by Department of Defense personnel and contractors in Iraq."

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Investigation/story?id=1322866

It is not possible to reduce terrorism using torture, since torture IS terrorism.

At any rate, the top global terrorist threat, BY FAR, is the global terrorist network that currently operates out of the White House.

All other "threats" pale by comparison, and are hardly worth mentioning.

[j-whitman]

FeelFree1,,,, Well, maybe a little cash & some good weed too.

[feelfree1]

Re: "There is no greater weapon in the war on terror than undersstanding & a warm greating"

That''s pretty profound, "j-whitman"

I think "SearingTruth" would really like that one.

[j-whitman]

Good night folks, good talking to all of you.

[j-whitman]

There is no greater weapon in the war on terror than undersstanding & a warm greating

[ranger1948]

jwhitman
You may be right, i was referring to the statement Jesus made about judge not lest you be judged, or the statement, Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

[ranger1948]

jwhitman
We also have crime here but nothing like in the states. I walk the streets day and night and never worry about where i fo to. I had a friend teaching police in Indonesia. He stopped at a Mosque one day. A man walked up and asked him what he wanted. He explained he had never been to a mosque and wanted the opportunity to learn more aboiut their religion. The man invited him in and they talked for two hours. When he was off on Saturdays he would buy a big bag of candy and walk down the stree passing it out to children. He told me they may grow up hating Americans but they will remember there was this one time when an American smiled at them, talked to them and gave them candy. He too was doing his part to try to increase the public opinion of Americans to be better thought of.

[j-whitman]

ranger,,,, Which Jesus, I think our Christians have around 50 different versions of him

[ranger1948]

hugecock
What is your religion ? Does it acceopt you ? Are you perfect in every way and make no mistaks so that you are acceptd ? I chose Budhism because it gave me what i was looking for spiritually. Noone said i had to be perfect to be a Budhist. I am continually learning daily about the religion. I accept it as it is. I see Budhists making mistakes daily, are they not Budhists because they are not perfect ? Seems Jesus addressed this issue before also.

[j-whitman]

ranger,,,, Thanks, that''s what I thought --- I used to go by myself as far as I could in Japan & Korea to some places that didn''t have electricity & walk back & never feared any danger..... I was even invited into a 600 year old Korean temple for as long as I wanted to stay.