Hamdan vs. Hamdan
The name Hamdan might not trip off the English-speaking tongue, but it should ring a bell: The Supreme Court ruled in Guantanamo detainee Salim Ahmed Hamdan’s favor in June. Now Southern California has its own terror-detained Hamdan, Abdel Jabbar, released last week after more than two years in an immigration prison. Here’s how they compare. <strong>— Swati Pandey</strong>
Salim Ahmed Hamdan Age: 36 Place of Birth: Yemen Claim to Fame: Osama bin Laden's driver Charge: Conspiracy to commit...offenses triable by military commission Held in: Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Prison Time: Nearly five years and counting Alleged Mistreatment: Months in solitary, beatings, attempts to coerce a guilty plea Release: Not yet Still Faces: Gitmo and ongoing trials Angry at the U.S. because: Repeated physical abuse Happy with the U.S. because: His lawyer told the Times Hamdan was "humble, not jubilant, and very, very thankful" for the Supreme Court's declaration that military tribunals were unlawful. | Abdel Jabbar Hamdan Age: 46 Place of Birth: Jordan Claim to Fame: Fundraiser for Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, linked to Hamas Charge: Overstaying a student visa Held in: Federal detention center in San Pedro Prison Time: Over two years Alleged Mistreatment: Physical abuse, neglect of medical problems Release: July 31 Still Faces: Electronic monitoring and potential deportation Angry at the U.S. because: The PATRIOT Act, which he called "a hate crime," according to the Associated Press Happy with the U.S. because: He has "faith Americans will stand up for what is right," according to the Los Angeles Times |
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