Al-Qaeda terrorist suspect at CIA jail compensated

The European Court of Human Rights granted 100,000 euros, paid by the Lithuanian government in compensation, to a suspected high-ranking al-Qaeda figure in Guantanamo Bay held in a secret CIA prison in the country almost two decades ago.

Lithuania indemnified with 100,000 euros granted to a suspected high-ranking al-Qaeda figure in Guantanamo Bay by the European Court of Human Rights. According to a government lawyer statement, the prisoner was found to be held in a secret CIA prison in Lithuania almost two decades ago.

More than a decade after its ending, Washington’s rendition program is still involved in its original business. Washington has admitted it has held al-Qaeda suspects in jails outside U.S. jurisdiction but refused to provide a complete list of locations.

The court based in Strasbourg stated that in May 2018, Lithuania hosted a CIA jail between February 2005 and March 2006, and a Palestinian Zayn Al-Abidin Muhammad Husayn, mainly known as Abu Zubaydah, was held in Lithuania, which maintains the position to deny its guilt in the case.

Under the European laws, it is forbidden to use torture and illegal detention, stating that authorities there “had known the CIA would subject him to treatment contrary to the Convention.” The court said that Lithuanian authorities permitted the prisoner to be transferred to another CIA detention site in Afghanistan, exposing him to further ill-treatment.

Lithuania carried out a transfer of 100,000 euros to the account of Abu Zubaydah’s brother in Saudi Arabia, and 30,000 euros were transferred as well to his Dutch lawyer on Dec. 21 last year, according to Ricard Dzikovic, head of the Legal Representation Group at the country’s Ministry of Justice.

“Paying the compensation is just us executing the verdict. The country could be fined if we didn’t,” he said on Tuesday to Reuters. “Lithuania has presented its case at the court, and we do not have another position on the matter.”

Source: Telesur English