Guantánamo Diary

Introduction

Mohamedou Ould Slahi's "Guantánamo Diary" is a gripping firsthand account of his experiences as a detainee in the world's most infamous prison camp. Written in 2005 while still incarcerated, Slahi's memoir provides a rare glimpse into the inner workings of Guantánamo Bay and the controversial practices employed there in the name of national security.

Slahi, a Mauritanian citizen, has been held without charge at Guantánamo since 2002. His story begins in 2000 when he was first questioned about potential terrorist connections and spans over a decade of interrogations, renditions, and alleged torture. Despite maintaining his innocence and never being formally charged with a crime, Slahi remains imprisoned to this day.

This heavily redacted manuscript managed to reach the public, offering readers an unprecedented look at life inside Guantánamo from a detainee's perspective. Through Slahi's words, we gain insight into the physical and psychological toll of indefinite detention, the ethical questions surrounding enhanced interrogation techniques, and the human impact of America's War on Terror.

Slahi's Early Life and Path to Guantánamo

Mohamedou Ould Slahi was born in 1970 in Mauritania, a country in northwestern Africa. He was the ninth of twelve children in a family headed by a traveling camel trader. When Slahi's father passed away shortly after moving the family to the capital city of Nouakchott, young Mohamedou became the primary provider for his siblings.

In 1988, Slahi's academic promise earned him a scholarship to study electrical engineering at the University of Duisburg in Germany. It was during his time as a student that Slahi first became involved with al-Qaeda, though in a much different context than his later accusers would allege. In 1991, Slahi took an oath of loyalty to al-Qaeda and traveled to Afghanistan to join the anti-communist resistance movement. At the time, this organization was actually supported by Western nations, including the United States, in their efforts against Soviet influence.

However, when the communist government fell and infighting broke out among Afghan factions, Slahi says he cut all ties with al-Qaeda and returned to Germany to complete his degree. He lived there with his wife until his German visa was set to expire. In November 1999, Slahi successfully applied for a Canadian visa and relocated to Montreal.

It was Slahi's time in Canada that would later draw suspicion from authorities. While living in Montreal, he attended a mosque that had previously been frequented by Ahmed Ressam, an Algerian immigrant and al-Qaeda member. On December 14, 1999, Ressam was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol while attempting to enter the country with explosives. This incident, known as the Millennium Plot, involved a plan to bomb Los Angeles International Airport.

In the aftermath of Ressam's arrest, police began questioning members of Montreal's immigrant community about potential connections to the plot. Slahi, having attended the same mosque as Ressam, became a person of interest to investigators.

The Beginning of Slahi's Ordeal

In January 2000, after twelve years away from his homeland, Slahi decided to return to Mauritania for a family visit. Little did he know that this trip would mark the beginning of a years-long nightmare. Slahi flew to Dakar, Senegal, planning to drive the rest of the way to Nouakchott, Mauritania with his brothers.

However, things quickly went awry. Upon arrival in Dakar, Slahi met two of his brothers and some friends, but the group was intercepted before they could reach their car. Special agents handcuffed Slahi, his brothers, and their companions, forcing them into a cattle truck and taking them into custody.

The next morning, Slahi found himself being interrogated by both Senegalese and American officials. They questioned him about Ahmed Ressam and the Millennium Plot, but Slahi maintained that he had no information to offer. Despite his protestations of innocence, Slahi was transferred from Senegalese custody to American officials.

From Senegal, Slahi was taken to Mauritania and brought to the country's Security Police headquarters. Here, he endured multiple rounds of intense questioning, often being woken in the middle of the night for interrogation sessions. His interrogators accused him of masterminding the Millennium Plot and demanded information about Ressam and other suspected terrorists.

As the interrogations dragged on, Slahi's physical and mental state deteriorated. Sleep-deprived and undernourished, he struggled to maintain his composure in the face of relentless questioning. Adding to his troubles, the Canadian government assisted the investigation by providing transcripts of Slahi's phone calls. This led to further accusations, with interrogators insisting that innocuous words like "tea" and "sugar" used in his conversations were actually code for terrorist activities.

After days of grueling interrogation, Slahi was finally released on February 19, 2000. He returned home to Mauritania, hoping his ordeal was over. Unfortunately, it was only the beginning.

Repeated Interrogations and Transfer to Jordan

Despite being released, Slahi soon found himself back in the crosshairs of American investigators. While attending his niece's wedding, he received a call from Mauritania's Director General of Security, summoning him to police headquarters for more questioning.

This time, Slahi was held for two weeks before American investigators arrived. They continued to press him about supposed coded language in his conversations and questioned him on a wide range of topics, including the number of computers he owned and phone calls he allegedly made to countries he had never contacted, such as the United Arab Emirates.

The interrogators grew increasingly frustrated with Slahi's continued insistence of innocence. They demanded he confess before the charges against him worsened, but Slahi maintained he had nothing to confess to. The tension escalated, with Slahi being denied water during questioning and even struck in the face with a water bottle at the end of one session.

Once again, Slahi was released without being charged. He returned to his job in technology and media, hoping to put the experience behind him. But on November 20, 2001, the Director General of Security paid him another visit, asking him to return to police headquarters. Slahi complied, driving himself to the station and expecting a brief round of questioning before returning home.

Instead, Slahi spent seven days in Mauritanian custody, during which time his family was forbidden from visiting him. Then, on November 28 - Mauritanian Independence Day - Slahi was put on a special CIA rendition plane and flown to Jordan for further interrogation.

Slahi's family had no idea he had been sent to Jordan. In fact, they might never have discovered his whereabouts if Slahi's brother hadn't come across an article about him in the German magazine Der Spiegel a year later. Even then, they had no inkling of the harsh treatment he was enduring.

Torture and Threats in Jordan

Slahi arrived in Amman, Jordan on the morning of November 29, 2001, blindfolded and handcuffed. He was immediately taken to the notorious House of Arrest and Interrogation, a facility with a grim reputation for human rights abuses. Human Rights Watch had accused the prison of using torture methods ranging from sleep deprivation to suspending prisoners by their hands and feet while inflicting extended beatings.

Upon arrival, Slahi was beaten and interrogated by Jordanian officials acting under orders from the U.S. government. His interrogators continued to try linking him to the Millennium Plot, pressing him about his connection to Ahmed Ressam. At one point, Slahi caught a glimpse of his file, which listed his name and accused him of participating in terrorist attacks.

The abuse Slahi endured in Jordan was severe. He could hear other detainees being tortured in nearby rooms, and his interrogators threatened him with similar treatment if he didn't cooperate and confess to his alleged crimes. Slahi was repeatedly pushed against walls and struck in the face by his interrogators, all while being bombarded with an endless stream of questions.

Throughout his time in Jordan, Slahi maintained his innocence. However, the constant threats and physical abuse took a toll on his mental and physical well-being. Little did he know that his experiences in Jordan were just a prelude to the even harsher treatment that awaited him at his next destination.

Transfer to Guantánamo Bay

On July 19, 2002, after eight grueling months in Jordan, Slahi's ordeal entered a new phase. He was blindfolded, stripped naked, shackled, and fitted with a diaper. Then, under U.S. orders and aboard a CIA rendition plane, he was transported to the infamous detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Upon arrival, Slahi became inmate #760.

The timing of Slahi's transfer to Guantánamo Bay (often referred to as GTMO) coincided with a period of increased abuse of prisoners at the facility. The Special Interrogation Plan, authorized and signed by then-U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, had expanded the range of interrogation methods that could be used on detainees.

One high-profile example of these harsh new tactics was the treatment of Mohammed al-Qahtani, a Saudi citizen and alleged enemy combatant. Al-Qahtani was subjected to a Special Interrogation Plan that included being kept nude, forced to stand in painful positions, and enduring 20-hour interrogation sessions, isolation, and exposure to cold temperatures.

After being used on al-Qahtani, similar plans were applied to other prisoners. The Senate Armed Services Committee later reported that a Special Interrogation Plan for Slahi was circulated by military interrogators in January 2003.

Upon his arrival at GTMO, Slahi found himself completely cut off from the outside world. He hadn't heard from his family in months and complained about not knowing if they were aware of his whereabouts. In response, he was given a letter that he quickly realized was a blatant forgery. The letter misspelled his name, mentioned a non-existent brother, listed an incorrect address for his family, and was written in handwriting Slahi didn't recognize.

It wasn't until seven months after his arrival at GTMO that Slahi received the first genuine letter from his family. Isolated from his loved ones and facing an uncertain future, Slahi was about to enter the most intense phase of his interrogation yet.

Escalating Interrogations at Guantánamo

At Guantánamo, Slahi found himself at the center of a complex web of interrogations conducted by various U.S. government agencies. Each stage of his questioning involved different organizations - sometimes the FBI, sometimes the CIA, and sometimes special military interrogators.

As the interrogations progressed, the list of crimes Slahi was accused of grew increasingly serious and far-reaching. He was accused of:

1. Participating in the Millennium Plot to bomb Los Angeles International Airport
2. Involvement in the 9/11 attacks (despite the fact that these occurred while he was already in custody in Mauritania)
3. Serving as a senior recruiter for al-Qaeda

To support the last accusation, Slahi was shown a Department of Defense letter claiming he had recruited three of the September 11 hijackers.

Despite the gravity of these accusations, Slahi was never officially charged with any crime. However, this didn't prevent him from being subjected to increasingly violent interrogations once a Special Interrogation Plan was approved for him.

The torture methods used on Slahi, which he euphemistically refers to as the "recipe," included:

• Forced standing with his back bent and hunched, exacerbating the pain in his sciatic nerve
• Sleep deprivation
• Denial of clean water
• Sexual abuse
• Physical violence, including headbutting
• Exposure to extreme cold
• Threats of permanent imprisonment
• Threats to his family
• Threats of being "erased"

In addition to these cruel methods, Slahi was subjected to interrogation by four different teams for up to 24 hours at a time. The relentless nature of the questioning, combined with the physical and psychological abuse, began to take a severe toll on Slahi's mental state.

Breaking Point and False Confessions

After months of enduring severe torture, Slahi reached a breaking point. He began confessing to all charges, even ones that hadn't been previously raised. This dramatic shift in Slahi's behavior was triggered by a particularly traumatic event on August 25, 2003.

On that day, a group of guards staged an elaborate abduction scenario. Hooded figures appeared in Slahi's cell, punching him repeatedly before putting a bag over his head and attaching shackles to his wrists and ankles. They then transported him to a high-speed boat, creating the illusion that he was being taken to a location where even more violent interrogation methods awaited him.

In reality, Slahi's abductors had merely taken him to a secret camp elsewhere on the island, still within the confines of GTMO. However, the psychological impact of this staged abduction was profound.

At this secret camp, Slahi's treatment worsened considerably:

• He was kept in complete isolation
• He was punished for attempting to pray
• He endured sexual abuse
• He faced threats of being sent to Israel or Egypt for further questioning
• Guards deprived him of sleep using the "water diet," a process where he was force-fed water so that the constant need to relieve himself prevented him from sleeping

The combination of physical abuse, psychological manipulation, and sensory deprivation took a severe toll on Slahi's mental and physical health. He experienced intense back pain, disorientation, and significant weight loss. He even began having hallucinations, a symptom his interrogators exploited by whispering threats and accusations through the air ducts in his cell.

Slahi's condition deteriorated to such an extent that a doctor had to treat him to get him "healthy" enough for the torture to resume. This perverse use of medical care to facilitate further abuse highlights the ethical compromises made in the name of intelligence gathering.

Under this relentless pressure, Slahi finally broke in September 2003. He began confessing to things he hadn't done, producing thousands of pages of false testimony. In his desperation to end the torture, he even incriminated other people, a fact that deeply troubled his conscience.

Slahi's confessions grew increasingly elaborate. At one point, he wrote an admission to a new accusation - participation in an alleged plot to blow up the CN Tower in Toronto. This confession to a crime he had never even been accused of before demonstrates the extent to which Slahi was willing to say anything to stop the abuse.

However, even these extensive false confessions would not be enough to secure Slahi's freedom.

Improved Conditions and Legal Battles

Following Slahi's confession and cooperation in taking a polygraph test, his living conditions at Guantánamo began to improve somewhat. Once he had confessed and incriminated others, he was given hot meals and more regular showers. However, these small comforts did little to compensate for the loss of his freedom and the trauma he had endured.

A significant shift occurred in 2004 when what Slahi describes as a "new era" of detention began at Guantánamo. Over time, Slahi was granted more humane treatment:

• He was allowed to pray in peace
• He was given access to books, including the Bible, Star Wars novels, historical fiction, and classics like "The Catcher in the Rye"
• He was occasionally allowed to watch movies with the guards
• He was provided with a laptop to type out his confession

Despite these improvements, Slahi remained cut off from the outside world and had no idea what was happening beyond the walls of Guantánamo. Unbeknownst to him, his case was attracting international attention.

In September 2004, the International Committee of the Red Cross came to meet with Slahi. Following this visit, journalists also began to show interest in his case. However, interacting with the media proved challenging for Slahi, as his interrogators would sometimes pose as journalists in attempts to extract more information from him.

While the improved conditions were a welcome change, they paled in comparison to the freedom Slahi desperately sought. Determined to challenge his detention, Slahi and his legal team began a resolute fight against his continued imprisonment.

Their efforts were bolstered by a significant legal precedent set in 2008. In the case of Boumediene v. Bush, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Guantánamo detainees have the right to challenge their detention through habeas corpus petitions. This landmark decision opened a new avenue for Slahi to contest his imprisonment.

Following the Boumediene ruling, Slahi submitted a habeas corpus petition. His case was heard by Judge James Robertson in 2009. On March 22, 2010, Judge Robertson made a crucial ruling: he determined that the United States did not have the right to keep Slahi in custody and ordered his release.

This moment seemed like a turning point in Slahi's long ordeal. After years of detention without charge, it appeared that he might finally regain his freedom. However, the victory was short-lived.

Just four days after Judge Robertson's ruling, the Obama administration appealed the court's decision. On November 5, 2010, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals sent Slahi's case back to the U.S. district court for a rehearing.

This legal setback meant that despite the initial ruling in his favor, Slahi remained behind bars. The appeals process and subsequent legal proceedings have dragged on for years, leaving Slahi in a state of limbo - no longer subjected to the worst abuses of the early years at Guantánamo, but still denied his freedom and separated from his family.

Reflections on Slahi's Story

Mohamedou Ould Slahi's "Guantánamo Diary" offers a rare and deeply personal account of life inside America's most controversial detention facility. His story raises profound questions about the balance between national security and human rights, the effectiveness of enhanced interrogation techniques, and the human cost of the War on Terror.

Several key themes emerge from Slahi's narrative:

1. The power of resilience: Despite enduring years of physical and psychological abuse, Slahi managed to maintain his sanity and even write this powerful memoir. His ability to find moments of humanity and connection, even with his captors, speaks to the indomitable nature of the human spirit.

2. The complexity of truth and confession: Slahi's eventual false confessions highlight the unreliability of information obtained through torture. His willingness to admit to crimes he didn't commit and implicate others raises serious doubts about the efficacy of such harsh interrogation methods.

3. The importance of due process: Slahi's detention without charge and the difficulties he faced in challenging his imprisonment underscore the vital role of legal protections and the right to a fair trial.

4. The far-reaching consequences of fear: In the aftermath of 9/11, the fear of terrorism led to policies and actions that many now view as ethical and legal overreaches. Slahi's story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of sacrificing core values in the name of security.

5. The power of bearing witness: By sharing his experiences, Slahi has brought attention to the realities of life at Guantánamo and sparked important conversations about America's detention and interrogation practices.

Conclusion

"Guantánamo Diary" is more than just a memoir; it's a plea to the American public to question the actions taken by their government in the name of national security. Mohamedou Ould Slahi's account of his detention, interrogation, and alleged torture at the hands of U.S. officials is a stark reminder of the human cost of policies implemented in the wake of 9/11.

As of the book's publication, Slahi remained imprisoned at Guantánamo Bay, his case still tangled in legal proceedings. His story continues to raise important questions about the ethics of indefinite detention, the use of enhanced interrogation techniques, and the balance between security and human rights in the modern world.

Ultimately, "Guantánamo Diary" challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about the actions taken in their name and to consider the long-term implications of sacrificing fundamental rights and values in the pursuit of perceived security. It stands as a powerful testament to human endurance and a compelling argument for transparency, accountability, and adherence to the rule of law, even in the face of grave threats to national security.