Lawsuit claims CIA kidnapped, tortured German man

cnn ^ | December 6, 2005 | CNN

[indcons]

A suit was filed Tuesday in the United States on behalf of a German man who alleges he was kidnapped and tortured by U.S. agents for five months in 2004. The suit charges the man was mistakenly suspected of being an associate of the 9/11 hijackers.

Khaled Masri, a 42-year-old man of Lebanese decent, claims that he was taken on New Year's Eve 2003 by CIA operatives from his vacation in Macedonia to a prison in Afghanistan.

[indcons]

In Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, said the United States had acknowledged the arrest of Masri was a "mistake."

Rice declined comment.

[thoughtomator]

Of course, all German men have names like Khalid.

[indcons]

LOL.....

[NZerFromHK]

isn't this the same CIA that is so filled with leftist PC types?

[indcons]

Something odd here.

According to one account, "Kuwaiti-born Mr Masri was seized close to the Macedonian border as he headed towards Albania following what he has described as a row with his wife in Germany. After being held for three weeks in the Macedonian capital, Skopje, Mr Masri says he was beaten, handcuffed, blindfolded, drugged, and flown to a CIA prison in Afghanistan."

[RWR8189]

Khaled Masri

Sounds very German...

[RightWhale]

The CIA turned my dog against me and then charged me $500 for delivery of 300 gallons of #1 heating oil.

[pleikumud]

He's related to Khaled Kerry and Khaled Kennedy.

[canuck_conservative]

So now, instead of rotting in some East European hell-hole, they're rotting in some Moroccon hell-hole. The accents may be different, but the schedule is still the same.

[Shamrock-DW]

"Geez... last I checked this was FREE Republic, where the idea of taking an innocent man and depriving him of his liberty might be considered disgusting to some. I guess if he's got that kind of name, he _must_ be up to no good."

Innocence is proven by a court of law.  His name by public reasoning has, by deeds, already been  rightfully connected to possible collusion to terrorist activities. 

Let the courts decide his innocence.....not some minority group of liberal traitors.

[Elchwurst]

- Of course, all German men have names like Khalid.

You think Rumsfeld or Wolfowitz is typical american name? ;)

[thoughtomator]

Well, the beauty of America is that anything can be an American name, since anybody can be an American.

[Elchwurst]

fine...so it is in germany.
the benefit of a globalized world :o)

[thoughtomator]

That may be a pleasant illusion, but I'm sure you know that the Muslim population in Germany doesn't consider itself German.

[Elchwurst]

That may be a pleasant illusion, but I'm sure you know that the Muslim population in America doesn't consider itself American.

Now enough of stupid generalizations?

[Elchwurst]

"Innocence is proven by a court of law." Are you insane? Innocence is presumed. Guilt is proven in a court of law. Please leave this country and live in the police state of your choice.

Agreed!
Some may have forgotten during the so called "war on terror" (the wrong terminus in my opinion) what made america a great country

[thoughtomator]

Actually there is a big difference in the attitude of the US Muslim population and those in Europe. Most US Muslims consider themselves Americans. From my understanding this is decidedly not true in the European nations.

[Elchwurst]

well if you think so go on with that.

But i have some doubts about if you are able to know the "attitude" of european muslims.
Sorry, but i think as an European i can evaluate that better than you.
Most euromuslims are proud of it to live here and consider themselve as europeans.
IslamofascistIdiots are everywhere, here and also there

[thoughtomator]

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.

[Elchwurst]

wow congratulations. 7 words to show your IQ an that issue?

[thoughtomator]

You'll learn the truth in time. Hopefully it won't take a catastrophic attack, but I won't be surprised when it does.

[airborne]

Hopefully it won't take a catastrophic attack, but I won't be surprised when it does.

I won't be surprised when a second attack doesn't change some.

[Elchwurst]

You'll learn the truth in time. Hopefully it won't take a catastrophic attack, but I won't be surprised when it does.

Has your posting something to do with the case al-masri?

[airborne]

Not specifically.

It has to do with the unbelievable ignorance or complete denial that some people exhibit.

It seems to me that if some don't like the facts, they simply ignore them or try to rewrite history.

[Cougar66]

Anyone know why the ACLU is stepping in on behalf of a non US citizen? Well I know the answer but want to hear it again.

[ArmyTeach]

Quite right - guilt is proven in a court of law. Here we go again. Innocence - even the innocence of the US and the CIA -is presumed until the evidence proves guilt. So, I'm waiting to see the concrete corroborating evidence and hear the testimony of reliable witnesses. Allegations don't prove guilt.

[Michael81Dus]

You´re damn-d right, Liberty! Guilt is proven by court, not innocence. And as far as I´m concerned, if this guy was an American citizen, being "kidnapped" by German Intel, I would already see the "nuke-them"-posts around here. Even with an Arabic name. The CIA has found out after 4 months (!!!) (some of them in Kabul!!!) that Khaled el-Masri is innocent - that´s why they released him. If he actually had connections to terrorists, I would have had some understanding for this. But under the given circumstances this is a very well reason for the outrage in Germany.

[Elchwurst]

Not specifically.
It has to do with the unbelievable ignorance or complete denial that some people exhibit.
It seems to me that if some don't like the facts, they simply ignore them or try to rewrite history.

Aha?!
whatever you want to tell me?!

[Elchwurst]

Allegations don't prove guilt.

Does this mean that all the "illegal combatants" who never been brought to a legal court until this day are not guilty?