Sudan: Letter to Sec. Rice from FM Lam Akol on Guantanamo

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 002818 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM PTER US SU SUBJECT: Sudan: Letter to Sec. Rice from FM Lam Akol on Guantanamo Detainee ¶1. (SBU) On December 6, Embassy Khartoum received a letter dated December 4 from Foreign Minister Lam Akol regarding the status of Guantanamo detainee Sami Mohy El din Mohammed Al Hajj, an Al-Jazeera cameraman. ¶2. (SBU) the text of the letter is as follows: (Begin text) I am writing to you in relation to the Sudanese citizen Mr. Sami Mohy El din Mohammed Al Hajj who was arrested in Afghanistan few years ago while he was covering the events there as a journalist, or more precisely, a cameraman for Aljazeera Television and was since then detained in Guantanamo Bay by the US Law Enforcement Agencies. Mr. El Hajj is listed in the detention under No. US9SU-000345DP. To the best of our knowledge and belief, Mr. Al Hajj is held in detention without charge in Guantanamo Bay for a very long period of time and without any clue as to the nature of the crime he is alleged to have committed or any indication as to a time frame for his trial. I wish hereby to convey the deep concern of the people of the Sudan and the family and friends of Mr. El Hajj about his health in Guantanamo. It is likely that, Mr. El Hajj might have been mistakenly arrested as a combatant in Afghanistan. The information gathered about his character reveal that he is a person of good record and that he was just doing his job as a cameraman when arrested. Of course, if there is any prima facie evidence to the contrary, the Government of the Sudan would welcome his transfer to his country of nationality for the due process of law to take place. Therefore, we would kindly request the intervention of your esteemed Department with the relevant US Authorities in Guantanamo to assess the position of Mr. El Hajj and to facilitate his immediate release for him to travel to Sudan. I trust the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the sisterly State of Qatar could assist in this matter. I am convinced that the disturbing unconfirmed information about the deteriorating health and morale of Mr. El Hajj will prompt your Department to take an immediate action on humanitarian grounds, and we are hopeful that Mr. El Hajj will soon join his family and friends in Sudan. I avail myself of this opportunity to thank you in advance and to renew to your Excellency the assurances of my highest esteem. (End text) HUME