Mohammed Abdullah Saleh al-Asad
Mohammed Assad | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1960 Yemen |
| Died | 2016 |
| Other names | al-Assad, al-Asaad, al-Asad |
| Occupation | Detainee |
| Known for | Subject of CIA extraordinary rendition and detention |
Mohammed Assad (also known as "al-Assad," "al-Asaad," or "al-Asad"; 1960–2016) was a Yemeni national who reportedly underwent extraordinary rendition by the CIA and was detained at undisclosed black site interrogation facilities. Prior to his capture on December 26, 2003, Assad resided and worked in Tanzania. He remained in CIA custody until May 2005.
Assad's interrogation focused exclusively on the Al-Haramain Foundation, a charitable organization that the Bush administration associated with terrorist activities, as authorities suspected his affiliation with the group.
In May 2005, Assad, along with two other Yemenis—Salah Ali and Muhammad Bashmilah—was handed over to Yemeni authorities. Amnesty International policy analyst Anne Fitzgerald assessed their consistent testimonies as credible; all three described experiencing solitary confinement combined with "sensory deprivation."
By November 2005, Assad was still held in a Yemeni security prison located in Al Ghaydah. The CIA did not confirm or deny Amnesty International’s claims.
The release of a summary by the United States Senate Intelligence Committee in December 2014 disclosed abusive treatment endured by detainees such as al-Asad, representing the first official recognition of his unjust detention. Al-Asad passed away in May 2016.
After his death, The New York Times reported on persistent mental health challenges faced by former detainees who had been subjected to US torture programs, including al-Asad.