Alif Khan
Alif Khan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1968 Afghanistan |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Former Guantanamo Bay detainee (Internment Serial Number 673) |
Alif Khan (born in 1968) is an Afghan national who experienced extrajudicial detention at the United States' Guantanamo Bay facility located in Cuba. He was assigned the Guantanamo Internment Serial Number 673. Khan was returned to Afghanistan on 23 March 2003.
McClatchy News Service interview
On 15 June 2008, the McClatchy News Service released a series of reports based on interviews with 66 former detainees of Guantanamo Bay, including Alif Khan.
Following his release, Khan moved to Kabul after receiving threats from Taliban members in his native region. When he later went back to Khost, the Taliban demanded he travel to Waziristan to engage in combat; upon his refusal, they threatened his life.
Khan was captured by Afghan forces in early 2002 while en route from Khost to Kabul. He recalled that corrupt soldiers under warlord Abdullah Mujahid—who himself was later detained at Guantanamo—had stopped him days earlier but let him go after accepting a bribe.
Khan expressed that he was never informed of the reasons behind his transfer to Guantanamo. Upon repatriation, he was given a laminated card stating:
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Prior to his arrival at Guantanamo, Khan had been held at detention centers in Kandahar and Bagram Theater Internment Facility.
The McClatchy journalist inferred that Khan’s prompt release suggested either his innocence or that the accusations against him were not deemed significant.
BBC Panorama: Inside Guantanamo
In October 2003, BBC1 correspondent Vivian White shed light on the personal consequences of the U.S. campaign against terrorism by profiling detainees designated as 'terrorism suspects.' Alif Khan, an Afghan businessman detained during a taxi inspection by local authorities, was among those featured. Khan described his transfer to Guantanamo, mentioning the harsh restraints and sedation that rendered him unconscious. White also explored the difficulties Khan faced while attempting to rebuild his life after being freed.