HAVEERU
NEWS ARTICLE 14 MARCH 2004
http://www.haveeru.com.mv/
Quick Translation
I FOUND PATIENCE FROM THE KORAN
14 March 2004
Moosa Latheef and Ahmed Abdulla
Haveeru News Service
It was May 19, 2002. Not even two weeks had passed since Ibrahim Fauzy moved
into a new house in Karachi, Pakistan. Yet, that day Pakistani police forced
into the house and arrested Fauzy. After that he faced the biggest and most
distressing trial of his life. When the Pakistani police handed him over to the
American army, Fauzy spent more than two years in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The reason behind the arrest of the 27 year old young Maldivian, who had spent
around 15 years in Pakistan studying Islamic education, is believed to be,
according to Fauzy, the fact that he had been mistaken for an Arab. The
Pakistani police questioned him whether he knew any Arabs and regarding his
landlord. Afterwards the American army also questioned him along similar lines.
He was transferred from Pakistan to Afghanistan and questioned, “In Afghanistan
too you might have information regarding your landlord”.
“They trusted no one. They said that I would not be released before they had the
information they wanted”, said Fauzy born to Tulhaadoo, Baa Atoll, after
arriving in Male’ on 12 March being released from the mighty American prison in
Cuba. “But how can I give (information) that I did not have? Having maintained
that stance I have come back.”
After the terrorist attack on American on 11 September 2001, due to the
declaration of war against terrorism by America the prime torture have been and
is still being received by Muslims. Fauzy has experienced it. It is his courage
that saved him from being destroyed by loneliness and misery. Even though, his
patience and his trust in Allah saw him through unscathed back to Maldives,
Fauzy has said that some people, not having been able to bear it, have gone mad.
He, however, did not elaborate upon this.
“Allah gives patience to everyone. I was most assisted in it (patience) by the
Holy Koran”, Fauzy said.
After being arrested in Pakistan while living with his wife, until he was taken
to Guantanamo Bay, he had expected a quick release. On the day he was handed
over to the American army, even the Pakistani police told him the same; “they
are going to send you home”. The Pakistani police who were with him, hugged and
shook his hand. Yet, they took him on a bus to the airport and handed him over
to the American army.
According to Fauzy he prepared his self for a difficult time after what the
investigation team told him.
“The investigator said that the problem had become a political one. In order to
protect yourself from emotional injury you have to change your way of thinking.
It (detention) might take a year, or even two years. It was from then onwards
that I changed my way of thinking…I started spending the whole time reading the
Qur’an”, said Fauzy.
At Guantanamo Bay, Fauzy was in one of the cells where the treatment of
prisoners was the best. According to him, during the interrogations no one even
“laid a finger” on him. The only thing that they wanted from him was information
regarding his landlord in Karachi. As Fauzy later found out this man had been
kept in a Pakistani jail for about two months and released.
According to Fauzy, even though he had been detained under the American army all
these days, even the American army believed that he was innocent. They also
believed that some of those people held at Guantanamo Bay were terrorists. Does
the fact that he had not been tortured mean he harbours no hard feelings towards
America? “That’s a very big question don’t you think?” Fauzy said. “To be
honest, it is unjust to keep detained an innocent man for three years.”
About a month after Fauzy was arrested, his wife had returned to Male’. She was
pregnant at the time. The first time Fauzy set eyes on his child was this
previous Saturday. He now wants to stay in Male’. He has no intention whatsoever
of returning to Pakistan to complete his studies. Yet, either America or
Pakistan must repay him for the unjust punishment that he has received.
ENDS