Mohammed Ayub
Haji Mohammed Ayub | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 15, 1984 Toqquztash, China |
| Occupation | Former detainee |
| Known for | Detention at Guantanamo Bay |
Haji Mohammed Ayub (born April 15, 1984) is a Chinese national who experienced extrajudicial confinement at the United States' Guantanamo Bay detention facility located in Cuba. According to the Department of Defense, his place of birth is recorded as Toqquztash, China.
Ayub belongs to the Uyghur ethnic minority, one of roughly twenty-four detainees from this group. His status was reviewed by a Combatant Status Review Tribunal, which concluded he was not an enemy combatant. Consequently, he was relocated to a refugee settlement in Albania.
McClatchy interview
On June 15, 2008, McClatchy News Service released interviews with 66 individuals formerly held at Guantanamo, including Mohammed Ayub. He recounted the harsh environment within the detention center, describing a significant weight loss from 164 pounds down to 105 pounds and resorting to consuming orange peels out of hunger. He also mentioned severe disciplinary measures imposed for trivial violations, such as carrying an additional napkin.
Despite these hardships, Ayub conveyed a strong wish to immigrate to the United States, where he has family connections and had previously obtained a student visa in 2001. His departure was postponed because a travel companion lacked the necessary visa.
Ayub also shared his experience with interrogations conducted by Chinese security agents while detained at Guantanamo. He reported that these officials issued threats, claiming knowledge about his relatives and movements and warning that he would face imprisonment upon returning to China. He recalled choosing to await visa approval in Afghanistan, where he suffered a robbery resulting in the loss of his money and identification documents.
See also
External links
- Witness - A strange kind of freedom Aljazeera – video
- Escape to Hell - Fleeing China, Landing in Guantanamo Der Spiegel July 14, 2006
- Free and Uneasy: Tale of 5 Muslims Out of Guantanamo and Into Limbo Cleared by U.S. of Terror Ties, They Won’t Return Home Due to Fear of Punishment; China Demands Repatriation