“A long-held Afghan detainee whom the U.S. military labeled ”an experienced jihadist” died of cancer at the U.S. Navy base at Guantánamo Bay on Sunday.
‘Abdul Razzak was assessed to be an experienced jihadist with command responsibilities and was assessed to have had multiple links to anti-coalition forces,” Southcom said in a statement, announcing the death. “He was detained in Guantánamo as an enemy combatant.”
In 2004, Abdul Razzak disputed the characterization at a hearing before a U.S. military panel, according to a transcript released by the Pentagon.
”I am just a poor man, trying to work, feed my family and take care of my family,” he told three officers trying to decide whether he met the Defense Department definition of an enemy combatant.
“I was not a big person in the country and how could they say anyone could do all these things? I was just doing regular work to support my family and my enemy did this to me.”
Defense Department documents say he was born Jan. 1, 1939 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Military officials have generally attributed a date of birth of Jan. 1 when a detainee did not know the precise date…”
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