Guantanamo Prisoner 1030

Published in ABC Journal
(Spain) on 26 March 2010
by Rafael L. Bardají (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Anna Laznik. Edited by Laura Berlinsky-Schine.
The world does not usually pay attention to more than one or two things at a time, and this week it has already had enough with Obama’s health care plan and the tension between the U.S. and Israel, its usual ally.

Perhaps this is why another news item, which affects us directly, has passed by unnoticed. Guantanamo prisoner number 1030, Abdul Hafiz, was released from the detention center this past December 19th and sent to Afghanistan for his reintegration. Since his release, Hafiz has come to be the person in charge of the Taliban’s committee of hijackers and blackmailers, under the orders of the mullah, Abdul Qayum Zakir (another ex-prisoner of Guantanamo).

In fact, the principal assessor of counter-terrorism in the White House, John Brennan, has had to admit that about 20 percent of the liberated return to take up their terrorist activities again. And from what we know of the case of Abdul Hafiz, it is taking less and less time for this to happen.

The government of Rodríguez Zapatero, in a gesture of generosity toward Obama, agreed to accommodate various Guantanamo detainees on our soil; detainees who, lacking any supervision in our country, should remain with total freedom. Given the social alarm, the government decided to keep them and granted them limited freedom, still violating the rights of people who have not been accused of anything. It is an intermediate option between the limbo of Guantanamo and Spanish paradise.

This assumes that the government will have a vigilant eye over all their activities and movements. This is for what we, the Spanish, will pay a big bill.

The government says that it cannot do anything else to preserve our security. But it could if it wanted, by imprisoning these prisoners under the accusation of membership of a terrorist organization. Isn’t it, after all, the extent of our universal justice? We would live more securely, and it would cost us less.


El preso 1030 de Guantánamo

El mundo no suele fijarse en más de una o dos cosas a la vez y esta semana ya ha tenido bastante con el plan sanitario de Obama y la tensión entre EE.UU. y su tradicional aliado Israel.

Tal vez por eso ha pasado desapercibida otra noticia que nos afecta directamente: el preso de Guantánamo número 1030, de nombre Abdul Hafiz, liberado de aquel centro de detención el pasado 19 de diciembre y enviado para su reintegración a Afganistán, ha pasado a ser el responsable del comité de secuestros y chantajes de los talibanes, bajo las órdenes del mulá Abdul Qayum Zakir (otro ex prisionero de Guantánamo). De hecho, el principal asesor en contraterrorismo de la Casa Blanca, John Brennan, ha tenido que reconocer que en torno al 20% de los liberados vuelven a retomar sus actividades terroristas. Y por lo que sabemos del caso de Abdul Hafiz, cada vez les lleva menos tiempo.

El gobierno de Rodríguez Zapatero, en un gesto de generosidad con Obama, aceptó albergar en nuestro suelo a varios detenidos de Guantánamo. Detenidos que, al carecer de cargos en nuestro país, deben quedar en total libertad. Dada la alarma social, el Gobierno decidió mantenerlos con una libertad de movimientos restringida, aunque supusiera violar todos los preceptos legales al uso para una persona que no está acusada de nada. Es una opción intermedia entre el limbo de Guantánamo y el paraíso español.

Es de suponer que el Gobierno tendrá un ojo vigilante sobre todas sus actividades y movimientos. Esto es, que los españoles pagaremos una abultada factura por ello.

El Gobierno dice que no puede hacer otra cosa para preservar nuestra seguridad. Pero sí podría si quisiera: encarcelar a estos presos bajo la acusación de pertenencia a banda armada. ¿No es, al fin y al cabo, nuestra justicia de alcance universal? Viviríamos más seguros y nos saldría más barato.
This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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