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| US rejects appeal by human rights group for release of Blind Sheikh |
| 2011-12-28 |
| [Al Ahram] The US ambassador to Egypt has refused a request by an Egyptian human rights ...not to be confused with individual rights,mind you... group for help in the repatriation on health grounds of Omar Abdel Rahman, 'the Blind Sheikh', to Egypt. Abdel Rahman, the spiritual leader of Egypt's Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya, has been held in US-based facilities for involvement in the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing. In November 2011, the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights (EOHR) asked the Egyptian authorities and the US Embassy in Cairo to work with the US administration for the release of Abdel Rahman who they claimed was suffering from a multitude of health problems including diabetes, high blood pressure, stomach ailments, chronic headaches and an inflammation of the pancreas. However, alcohol has never solved anybody's problems. But then, neither has milk... US Ambassador to Egypt, Anne Patterson, responded by saying that Abdel Rahamn is getting all the medical attention he needs. "The US Federal Prison System has gone to great lengths to provide Mr. Omar Abdel Rahman with the best possible medical care, specifically: Mr. Abdel Rahman's medical conditions are being managed appropriately and he is medically stable," Patterson said. "He is regularly evaluated by a team of healthcare professionals, including a physician, a physician assistant and a registered nurse." According to EOHR, in addition to his ailing health, the Sheikh is not allowed visitors and the last time he received a guest was in 1999 when his wife was allowed to see him. He is also permitted only two 15-minute phone calls per month, and was subjected to solitary confinement for 18 years. Salafists ...Salafists espouse an austere form of Sunni Islam that seeks a return to practices that were common in the 7th century. Rather than doing that themselves and letting other people alone they insist everybody do as they say and they try to kill everybody who doesn't... and supporters of Abdel Rahman began putting pressure for his release since April 2011 and held several protests in front of the US embassy. In August, his family and supporters began a sit-in in front of the US mission in downtown Cairo. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 Aw, that's a typo, right? Should be "Egyptian Organisation for the Eradication of Human Rights" (EOEHR) |
| Posted by: mojo 2011-12-28 12:40 |
| #2 "Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights (EOHR)" That's a good one. The US should respond by sending them a nice pork sausage and wine Christmas gift basket. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2011-12-28 09:36 |
| #1 We could release him at 20,000 feet over Cairo without a parachute.... I know that state is too squeamish, however, it would resolve the issue. (^8 |
| Posted by: Water Modem 2011-12-28 01:19 |