Bisher Al-Rawi. Jeppesen Dataplan Inc. For two months al-Rawi was imprisoned, interrogated and tortured at two separate CIA facilities in Afghanistan, before being transferred to the U. There, he was imprisoned for more than four years until his release on March 30, On his release, al-Rawi returned to his home in London where he currently resides freely. No charges have ever been brought against him. Bisher al-Rawi traveled to Gambia in November to assist his brother and some colleagues in opening a peanut-oil processing business.
Both al-Rawi and his brother were apprehended by Gambian intelligence agents after arriving in the capital city of Banjul. Although his brother was subsequently released, Bisher was detained for almost a month and was interrogated by both Gambian and American officials. He was then hooded, handcuffed, diapered, shackled and flown for nine hours from Banjul to Kabul, Afghanistan.
Al-Rawi was then transported by truck and helicopter to the U. Air Force base in Bagram. He was beaten severely before his flight and his extensive injuries were later photographed by U. For the next two months he was subjected to humiliation, degradation, and physical and psychological torture by U. He was forced to undergo prolonged periods of isolation and sleep deprivation and was frequently threatened with death.
During this entire time, efforts by his family to locate him or learn of his whereabouts were rebuffed at almost every turn. In January , Amnesty International received information that al-Rawi had been secretly transferred from Gambia to Bagram, absent any extradition or deportation process and despite the fact that a habeus corpus petition filed on his behalf was still pending before a court in Gambia.
Despite requests, U. The British government similarly refused to provide any consular or diplomatic assistance in locating him or seeking his immediate or unconditional release. On February 7, al-Rawi was transported on a hour flight to the U. He remained there for more than four years. To date, he has not been charged with any crime.
