User:Geo Swan/Guantanamo/transcripts/909

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Mohabet Khan

Opening Statement

Khan told his Tribunal that he was forcibly conscripted. He didn't go willingly, and join a rebel militia. He resisted, and they broke his arm.

Khan said that he and his fellow captives were happy when the compound where they were being held by the rebel militia was captured by the Americans. He said he like America, and thought he would be released.

Khan said that a cousin initially convinced him to sign on with Samoud Khan's forces. But he only spent two days with the Samoud's forces before he decided his cousin had deceived him. Samoud forces were bandits. So he left. However, a couple of weeks later some of Samoud's forces came to his home, beat him up, and hauled him back to Samound's. Compound, however, it was not much longer that the American's conquered Samoud's compound. Khan said the allegations against him were all wrongL

He said no-one fired on
Firebase Gardez
.
He said he was not a Pakistani. He was born and raised in Afghanistan.
He said he was not captured in Pakistan. He was captured in the Samoud Khan compound in Afghanistan.

Response to the allegations

Khan denied his uncle was at the Samoud Compound.
Khan confirmed that everyone there was armed.
Khan denied he was ordered to fight the US forces.
Khan denied that Samoud's forces tried to fire rockets at the Americans.
Khan said he never saw any rockets in the possession of Samoud Khan or his men, let alone seeing them fired at the Americans.
Khan disputed the description of the arrival of the US forces as a "raid", because they were welcomed when they arrived, and the doors were flung open to let them in.
Khan confirmed that he had an AK-47, and three magazines—but said the three magazines were empty.

Response to the Tribunal officer's questions

Khan confirmed that he had lived for a time in Pakistan—for six months. He had gone there to look for work. He had a found a job, working with refugees, digging wells.
The director of the Refugee camp, his employer, was a man named Matbanusa. He earned 3500 rupees a month.
In response to a question about the allegation that he had stayed at a "brigade center" in
Charkala
, Khan said he had never been to Charkala.
In Afghanistan he drove a tractor for his uncle, who paid him 2500 rupees per month.
The cousin who convinced him to join Samoud Khan's forces told him Samoud would pay him 5000 rupees per month.
Khan said he was made to work hard, in Samoud's compound, and swore he wasn't paid "one penny"..
Khan said he wasn't asked to join Samoud's men in their robbery. He merely became aware they were engaged in banditry, which made him uncomfortable. He also became aware that they were smoking hashish. One of the three boys who were housed in Camp Iguana said that the men in Samoud's forces used to use him as a sex slave.
Khan said there were eight other men in the compound.
Khan said he didn't hear any of Samoud's men say anything that suggested they were opposed to the Americans.
Khan repeated that his uncle had nothing to do with Samoud's forces.
Khan said the compound had six rifles for the eight men.
Khan said three of the five other men from Samoud's compound remained at Guantanamo. Five of them had been released.
When asked what he would do if he were released, Khan replied: "I would go to my own village in Afghanistan, I will work hard, and I will help the Americans, because we like the Americans."
In addition to the eight men he was captured with Khan said he recognized two other Guantanamo detainees who were from the village of Albacar.
Khan said he didn't see any fighting in Afghanistan.
Khan confirmed he had never worked with either the
al Qaeda
.
When Khan was asked if he had been aware of al Qaeda he replied: "I knew that the Arabs were with Al Qaeda until [sic]the Americans came; if not [sic], they would take away all our dignities. [sic]"
Khan said he was living in Afghanistan on
September 11, 2001
. He was then only 18 years old.
The day of his capture was the first time he ever saw an American.
Khan said he had been imprisoned for three months, and brutally beaten, by the Taliban, because he had participated in a party to celebrate the birth of a nephew. And he had joined in dancing and music making to celebrate—music and dancing were activities the Taliban forbid.
Khan said all the local young men were punished by the Taliban for grooming their hair.
Khan told his Tribunal he was currently 18, at the time of his Tribunal.