Taj Mohammed (Guantanamo Bay detainee)
Taj Mohammed | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1981 Afghanistan |
| Occupation | Translator |
| Known for | Former Guantanamo Bay detainee |
Taj Mohammed is an Afghan national who was subjected to extrajudicial detention at the United States' Guantanamo Bay detention facility located in Cuba. He was assigned the Guantanamo Internment Serial Number 902. Analysts approximate his year of birth as 1981. He was returned to Afghanistan in 2006.
Washington Post journalist Mahvish Khan, who visited Mohammed alongside his habeas corpus attorney, reported that Mohammed acquired proficiency in English during his four-year confinement.
Press reports
The Associated Press documented that during his Combatant Status Review Tribunal, Mohammed faced accusations of affiliation with Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, known as "The Army of the Pure." Mohammed refuted these claims, asserting, "I was a shepherd... These are all lies about me."
On June 15, 2008, McClatchy News Service published interviews with 66 former detainees from Guantanamo, including Mohammed. He recounted incidents of sexual harassment during interrogations and alleged that guards committed acts of desecration against the Quran. He also described retaliating against guards due to mistreatment and abuses endured.
The McClatchy profile highlighted that Mohammed seemed to have undergone radicalization while detained and claimed to have enforced discipline among less devout inmates. His attorney questioned the validity of these statements. Mohammed received instruction in Arabic and Quranic studies from Yemeni detainee Ali Abdullah Ahmed, one of three individuals who reportedly died by suicide at Guantanamo in 2006.
In 2005, Mohammed spent nine months in Camp Four, a section for compliant detainees; however, he was subsequently downgraded after an incident involving slapping a female medical professional.
In February 2010, ABC News reported that Mohammed was employed by the Agribusiness Development Team, a Provincial Reconstruction Team initiative associated with the US military. Serving as a translator, he demonstrated fluency in both English and Spanish—languages he acquired during his time at Guantanamo.
Namesakes
On January 16, 2010, the United States Department of Defense disclosed the names of 645 detainees held at the Bagram Theater Internment Facility. Among those listed was an individual named Taj Mohammed.