Guantanamo detainees taste freedom in Uruguay
- 9 years ago
After 12 years behind bars at Guantanamo, these two men are enjoying a taste of freedom.
Syrian Omar Mahmoud Faraj and Tunisian Adel bin Muhammad el Ouerghi appeared on their Montevideo balcony Friday morning, five days after being flown to Uruguay for resettlement.
Faraj, el Ouerghi and four others were freed from what Faraj has called the "black hole" of Guantanamo Bay prison, a notorious facility US President Obama he pledged to close.
The widely-condemned prison houses terrorism suspects who, for the most part, have never been charged or tried.
Lawyer Cori Crider says this was the case for her newly freed clients:
(SOUNDBITE) (English) CORI CRIDER, LAWYER FOR FORMER INMATE JIHAD DIYAB, SAYING:
"I don't think any of us really know what it can be like for these men after 12 years in prison, no charge, no trial, cleared for release for over five years, to taste freedom for these first days and to speak to their loved ones for these first days, so th
Syrian Omar Mahmoud Faraj and Tunisian Adel bin Muhammad el Ouerghi appeared on their Montevideo balcony Friday morning, five days after being flown to Uruguay for resettlement.
Faraj, el Ouerghi and four others were freed from what Faraj has called the "black hole" of Guantanamo Bay prison, a notorious facility US President Obama he pledged to close.
The widely-condemned prison houses terrorism suspects who, for the most part, have never been charged or tried.
Lawyer Cori Crider says this was the case for her newly freed clients:
(SOUNDBITE) (English) CORI CRIDER, LAWYER FOR FORMER INMATE JIHAD DIYAB, SAYING:
"I don't think any of us really know what it can be like for these men after 12 years in prison, no charge, no trial, cleared for release for over five years, to taste freedom for these first days and to speak to their loved ones for these first days, so th