Guantanamo guard reunited with ex-inmates, gets closure

sunzt

Diamond Member
Nov 27, 2003
3,076
3
81
Now this is interesting. It gives us insight on what really happened there. Not surprisingly, the some of the US media painted a pretty rosy picture of what actually happened there.

Why would a former Guantanamo Bay prison guard track down two of his former captives - two British men - and agree to fly to London to meet them?

"You look different without a cap."

"You look different without the jump suits."

With those words, an extraordinary reunion gets under way.

The last time Ruhal Ahmed met Brandon Neely, he was "behind bars, behind a cage and [Brandon] was on the other side".

The location had been Camp Delta - the high-security detention camp run by the US in Guantanamo Bay. Mr Ahmed, originally from Tipton in the West Midlands, was among several hundred foreign terror suspects held at the centre.

Mr Neely was one of his guards.

The scene of this current exchange of pleasantries couldn't be more different from where they last met - a television studio in London. Also here is Shafiq Rasul, a fellow ex-Guantanamo prisoner, without whose Facebook page the reunion would never have happened.

The journey of reconciliation began almost a year ago in Huntsville, Texas. Mr Neely, 29, had left the US military in 2005 to become a police officer and was still struggling to come to terms with his time as a guard at Guantanamo.

He felt anger at a number of incidents of abuse he says he witnessed, and guilt over one in particular.


Highly controversial since it opened in 2002, Guantanamo prison was set up by President George Bush in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks to house suspected "terrorists". But it has been heavily divisive and President Barack Obama has said it has "damaged [America's] national security interests and become a tremendous recruiting tool for al Qaeda".

Mr Neely recalls only the good publicity in the US media.

"The news would always try to make Guantanamo into this great place," he says, "like 'they [prisoners] were treated so great'. No it wasn't. You know here I was basically just putting innocent people in cages."


Hip-hop tastes

The prisoners arriving on planes, in goggles and jump suits, from Afghanistan were termed by then US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld as the "worst of the worst". But after getting to know some of the English-speaking detainees, Mr Neely started to have doubts all of them were fanatical terrorists.

He recalls how when he and Mr Ahmed chatted through the bars at Guantanamo, they had a surprising amount in common.

"It was no different from me sitting at the bar with a friend of mine talking about women or music," says Mr Neely. "He would say, 'you ever listen to Eminem or Dr Dre' and he threw off a little rap and it was just funny. I thought how could it be somebody is here who's doing the same stuff that I do when I'm back home."

Mr Neely was 22 when he worked at the camp and left after six months to serve in Iraq. But after quitting the military his doubts about Guantanamo began to crystallise. This led to a spontaneous decision last year to reach out to his former prisoners.

"I was pretty new to Facebook and decided to type in their names to see if their profiles popped up and I came across Shafiq's Facebook page. I decided to send him a little e-mail," says Mr Neely.

Released in 2004, after being held for two years, Mr Rasul and Mr Ahmed and another friend from Tipton had been captured in Afghanistan on suspicion of links to the Taliban. The three said they were beaten by US troops although this was disputed by the US government at the time.

After all that, the Facebook communique was a shock to Mr Rasul.

Last-minute nerves

"At first I couldn't believe it. Getting a message from an ex-guard saying that what happened to us in Guantanamo was wrong was surprising more than anything."

To Mr Neely's astonishment he received a reply and the pair began an exchange of e-mails. It was at this point that the BBC asked if both sides would be prepared to meet in person.

They agreed.

Several months later the ex-inmates were sitting in the TV studio waiting to be reunited with their former jailer. But Mr Rasul was having doubts. He was feeling conflicted.

"There's a few people in my family who have said what do you want to meet someone like that for, the way he treated you, you stay away from him," says Mr Rasul. "They say because if it was me, I'd want to beat him up."

Mr Neely had also been feeling uneasy.

He arrived at Heathrow airport ashen-faced, pensive and reluctant to speak much before the meeting.

Mr Rasul and his normally gregarious friend were notably quiet as they sat in front of TV cameras waiting for Mr Neely to enter. No-one knew what to expect, and the atmosphere was tense.

After an initially awkward exchange about caps and jump suits, the conversation turns to the reason for the visit. Mr Neely says he'd thought about the moment a million times. He'd wanted to say how he'd felt complicit in their detention, and acknowledge the wrong they were subjected to.

Smoking dope

But what were the pair doing in Afghanistan in 2001?

They explain that, being in their late teens and early twenties at the time, they had made a naive, spontaneous decision to travel for free with an aid convoy weeks before a friend's wedding, due to take place in Pakistan.

Mr Ahmed admits they had a secret agenda for entering Afghanistan, but it wasn't to join al-Qaeda.

"Aid work was like probably 5% of it. Our main reason was just to go and sightsee really and smoke some dope".


Does their former prison guard believe them? Yes, says Mr Neely, who says he thinks it was a case of "wrong place, wrong time".

Both sides are beginning to bond, yet towards the end, Mr Neely has a confession of his own. It threatens to destroy the mood of reconciliation.

He is deeply ashamed of an incident in which he "slammed" an elderly prisoner's head against the floor.

Mr Neely recalls that he thought he had been under attack because the man kept trying to rise to his feet. But weeks later he discovered the prisoner thought he was being placed on his knees to be executed and believed he was fighting for his life.

Mr Ahmed is speechless, then evidently conflicted as he wrestles in his mind with whether or not he can forgive. Eventually, he says he can.

But should Mr Neely be prosecuted for his actions? Mr Ahmed pauses again.

"He's realised what he did was wrong and he's living with it and suffering with it and as long as that he knows what he did was wrong. That's the main thing."

Afterwards, each say they had genuinely found some sort of closure from meeting. The sense of relief in all their faces speaks volumes, and they leave the meeting closer to one another.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8452937.stm
 
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Jaskalas

Lifer
Jun 23, 2004
35,547
9,779
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I certainly argued that we did not pickup innocents and place them in Gitmo. I am sorry for that mistake and cannot even begin to quantify the impact this should have on policy.

Not all the men in Gitmo were Ruhal Ahmed, but too many of them were. We must still act though it is unsettling to realize the gravity of the mistakes we can, and likely are to, make in the process.

It is notable, however, that he was released in 2004 which is a relatively short stay compared to some others. It appears that someone at least recognized Ahmed for who he is, otherwise he would still be there to this day, no? I am glad he was not executed, though I would like to know just how badly we treated him.
 

ayabe

Diamond Member
Aug 10, 2005
7,449
0
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I certainly argued that we did not pickup innocents and place them in Gitmo. I am sorry for that mistake and cannot even begin to quantify the impact this should have on policy.

Not all the men in Gitmo were Ruhal Ahmed, but too many of them were. We must still act though it is unsettling to realize the gravity of the mistakes we can, and likely are to, make in the process.

It is notable, however, that he was released in 2004 which is a relatively short stay compared to some others. It appears that someone at least recognized Ahmed for who he is, otherwise he would still be there to this day, no? I am glad he was not executed, though I would like to know just how badly we treated him.

Great post and I commend you for your honesty.
 

GroundedSailor

Platinum Member
Feb 18, 2001
2,502
0
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I certainly argued that we did not pickup innocents and place them in Gitmo. I am sorry for that mistake and cannot even begin to quantify the impact this should have on policy.

Not all the men in Gitmo were Ruhal Ahmed, but too many of them were. We must still act though it is unsettling to realize the gravity of the mistakes we can, and likely are to, make in the process.

It is notable, however, that he was released in 2004 which is a relatively short stay compared to some others. It appears that someone at least recognized Ahmed for who he is, otherwise he would still be there to this day, no? I am glad he was not executed, though I would like to know just how badly we treated him.

Didn't think I would read such a post from you. I appreciate your candor and its takes courage to admit a mistake.

Gitmo was a bad concept to begin with, specially for a country like US which is built on the rule of law. I'm glad to see a slow change in the tinted glasses everyone wore in the years after 9/11.
 
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Jun 26, 2007
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I certainly argued that we did not pickup innocents and place them in Gitmo. I am sorry for that mistake and cannot even begin to quantify the impact this should have on policy.

Not all the men in Gitmo were Ruhal Ahmed, but too many of them were. We must still act though it is unsettling to realize the gravity of the mistakes we can, and likely are to, make in the process.

It is notable, however, that he was released in 2004 which is a relatively short stay compared to some others. It appears that someone at least recognized Ahmed for who he is, otherwise he would still be there to this day, no? I am glad he was not executed, though I would like to know just how badly we treated him.

The biggest problem with Gitmo was that if they were not terrorists before they would have lost enought to become terrorists afterwards, innocent before or not.

You and those like you are the real disease, the continuation of opression and removal of freedoms and rights based on absolutely nothing what so ever will continue because of those like you.

When they come for you, will you protest or just say "well it's the right thing to do"?

You are worse than anyone, you are so ready to give up anything and i'd bet my arse you'd report your neighbour if that would benefit you.

You are the scum of the earth.
 

JS80

Lifer
Oct 24, 2005
26,271
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Leave it to BBC to portray Guantanamo as some kind of torture prison in Syria just because the only innocent douchebag who shouldn't have gone to Afghanistan was detained and released relatively shortly and some fat pussy guard felt guilty about it.

Ahmed should have went to Amsterdam and Neely should have studied harder in school.
 

fallout man

Golden Member
Nov 20, 2007
1,787
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Leave it to BBC to portray Guantanamo as some kind of torture prison in Syria just because the only innocent douchebag who shouldn't have gone to Afghanistan was detained and released relatively shortly and some fat pussy guard felt guilty about it.

Ahmed should have went to Amsterdam and Neely should have studied harder in school.

Why do you hate the troops, you twat?
 

JSt0rm

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
27,399
3,948
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Leave it to BBC to portray Guantanamo as some kind of torture prison in Syria just because the only innocent douchebag who shouldn't have gone to Afghanistan was detained and released relatively shortly and some fat pussy guard felt guilty about it.

Ahmed should have went to Amsterdam and Neely should have studied harder in school.

Wow. You fuck. That "fat pussy guard" served in iraq. You fucking chicken hawk piece of shit. It's sad that the poor go and die so that you can play video games and bitch on your internet forum. You should respect them for their service even if you disagree with their politics.
 

JS80

Lifer
Oct 24, 2005
26,271
7
81
Wow. You fuck. That "fat pussy guard" served in iraq. You fucking chicken hawk piece of shit. It's sad that the poor go and die so that you can play video games and bitch on your internet forum. You should respect them for their service even if you disagree with their politics.

Fuck you, you don't know me. Neely is probably a hated motherfucker in the military. He is a goddamn benedict arnold.
 

fallout man

Golden Member
Nov 20, 2007
1,787
1
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...but back on topic:

The terrists were incredibly gracious given the circumstances. Although brief, the video was pretty moving to watch.
 

al981

Golden Member
May 28, 2009
1,036
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Fuck you, you don't know me. Neely is probably a hated motherfucker in the military. He is a goddamn benedict arnold.

calling out morally grounded military servicemen as pussies improves your street cred, yo.

have you served js80? pussy.
 

rudder

Lifer
Nov 9, 2000
19,441
86
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Did they not realize that in 2001, Afghanistan was largely controlled by the Taliban? The same taliban who would harshly punish any muslim using drugs.

I find it a little hard to believe these guys wanted to go to afhganistan to smoke dope.
 
Jun 26, 2007
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Fuck you, you don't know me. Neely is probably a hated motherfucker in the military. He is a goddamn benedict arnold.

So you hate the troops if they regeret mistakes they make?

It's encouraged to review a mission and find mistakes, that is how progress is made.

A true benedict arnold would be one that didn't do that but went ahead with it while exclaiming that he did not and report it to others.

Don't use expressions if you don't have a clue what they mean.

Just know, that you hate all military personel that has ever served except for a few sociopaths that should not have served.

Perhaps you should put that in your sig: I hate US troops. That would be correct.
 
Jun 26, 2007
11,925
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Did they not realize that in 2001, Afghanistan was largely controlled by the Taliban? The same taliban who would harshly punish any muslim using drugs.

I find it a little hard to believe these guys wanted to go to afhganistan to smoke dope.

Who gives a fuck?

Point is, they should never have been at Gitmo, charge them in nation or as POW's, don't try to go in between laws and be "fucking special" because in the end, it will cost you more than you want to.

One thing is clear, they could not have been charged as unlawful combatants since they were no combatants at all.

I find it a little hard to realise that the US can't even make up proper charges to fit their OWN laws and yet they do.
 

fallout man

Golden Member
Nov 20, 2007
1,787
1
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Did they not realize that in 2001, Afghanistan was largely controlled by the Taliban? The same taliban who would harshly punish any muslim using drugs.

I find it a little hard to believe these guys wanted to go to afhganistan to smoke dope.

Did you not realize that in 2001, 99% of Americans outside of academia or the state department and intelligence services didn't know where the fuck Afghanistan was?

Yeah, that country we funneled money into to prop up Osama Bin Laden in the "good fight!"

Don't be naive.
 
Jun 26, 2007
11,925
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Did they not realize that in 2001, Afghanistan was largely controlled by the Taliban? The same taliban who would harshly punish any muslim using drugs.

I find it a little hard to believe these guys wanted to go to afhganistan to smoke dope.

Oh, and BTW, Afghanistan wasn't "largely controlled by the Taliban" TODAY Afghanistan is largely controlled by the Taliban but it wasn't at that point, the NWA along with UK forces drove them so far that the only thing that was left was to eliminate them, that is when the US decided that it wasn't worth it, removed air support, UK TFB was reassigned along wit TFBl and TFR to go to Iraq, leaving the Taliban free reign of all of Afghanistan, they are pretty much all over the place right now, send a million and it won't make a difference today.

They could have been beaten but that would have meant the end of the WOT against AQ.... Take one guess why that wasn't wanted.
 

Tab

Lifer
Sep 15, 2002
12,145
0
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Leave it to BBC to portray Guantanamo as some kind of torture prison in Syria just because the only innocent douchebag who shouldn't have gone to Afghanistan was detained and released relatively shortly and some fat pussy guard felt guilty about it.

Ahmed should have went to Amsterdam and Neely should have studied harder in school.

LOL! So, how should he feel? Fucking christ.
 

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
Brandon Neely - Any questions?

021409ap_gitmoguard_800.JPG



I have some besides why is he heart attack waiting to happen and he's not even out of his 20's yet.

1.Why would any US solider want to lock up a guy for smoking weed on his way to a wedding?

2. You guys actually believe these were just a couple of teens out to have a good time in war torn Afghanistan? And smoke weed? Yeah, reminds me of that time I strolled over the NK border and smoked a bowl with Kim - cool as fuck when he's high BTW.:rolleyes:

3. Why wait six years after the fact to come forward with his war crimes?

4. Why no call from left to have him prosecuted for war crimes instead of fawning all over him?
 
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Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
350
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I have some besides why is he heart attack waiting to happen and he's not even out of his 20's yet.

1.Why would any US solider want to lock up a guy for smoking weed on his way to a wedding?

They all look alike, he said something abou t'hitching a ride', wrong place wrong time. The logistics of capturing people don't allow for a lot of quality. At least he wasn't sold for bounty.

2. You guys actually believe these were just a couple of teens out to have a good time in war torn Afghanistan? And smoke weed? Yeah, reminds me of that time I strolled over the NK border and smoked a bowl with Kim - cool as fuck when he's high BTW.:rolleyes:[/qipte]

It's a very believable story. People do live there, as exotic as it might be to you. Coincidentally, there was a movie about just this happening - was it Taxi to the dark side?

3. Why wait six years after the fact to come forward with his war crimes?

He told the story. Why is there a time frame, most don't comeforward at all. It's 'normal' and legal.

4. Why no call from left to have him prosecuted for war crimes instead of fawning all over him?

Because the problem is the leadership more than the guards - and he *recanted*. Why would someone who thought he was guarding terrorists, and who has come out in favor of justice, be attacked?

The left fawms over him for the morality he's showing now, and because his story helps show the larger problem with Guantanamo.

THe left is still in favor of war crimes for the leaders deserving.
 
Jun 26, 2007
11,925
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Brandon Neely - Any questions?

021409ap_gitmoguard_800.JPG



I have some besides why is he heart attack waiting to happen and he's not even out of his 20's yet.

1.Why would any US solider want to lock up a guy for smoking weed on his way to a wedding?

2. You guys actually believe these were just a couple of teens out to have a good time in war torn Afghanistan? And smoke weed? Yeah, reminds me of that time I strolled over the NK border and smoked a bowl with Kim - cool as fuck when he's high BTW.:rolleyes:

3. Why wait six years after the fact to come forward with his war crimes?

4. Why no call from left to have him prosecuted for war crimes instead of fawning all over him?

Why do you need to extrapolate, we all know what you think by now, they were Afghanis so they deserve whatever they get. Probably Muslim which is worse than any pedophile in your mind.

In your world and avocado confettis world nuking them would be a good way, after all, they are all Muslims and therefore bad people.