Nizar Sassi
Encyclopedia
Nizar Sassi is a citizen of France
who was detained by the United States
in their naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
.
His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 325.
Sassi was transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2002. He was repatriated to France on July 27, 2004.
Sassis remained in French custody until January 9, 2006. Although originally convicted in France, his trial was overturned and he was released in February 2009.
Sassi worked for the Venissieux
Council. Venissieux is a suburb or Lyon.
According to his brother, Aymen, Nizar traveled to Pakistan
to learn formal Arabic.
Security authorities claim Sassi travelled to Afghanistan
in 2001 at the direction of
Menad Benchellali
, an alleged al Qaeda recruiter.
Mourad Benchellali
and Sassi are alleged to have traveled to Afghanistan on forged passports.
Nizar Sassi and four other men stood trial on terrorism charges upon their return to France.
The five men's conviction were overturned in February 2009, because they had improperly been interviewed by France's intelligence officials, who were not authorized to act in a law enforcement role.
On February 17, 2010, the Court of Cassation
, a higher court, ordered a re-trial of the five men.
In his interview Mourad described how he and Nizar were tricked into traveling to Afghanistan by his older brother Menad Benchellali.
He described how they found Afghanistan nothing like
what they expected. He described not speaking Pashtu, Dari
or Arabic, but they met some Algeria
ns who spoke French, who suggested they attend a religious camp.
During his interview Mourad described what it was like to attend the training camp: a lot praying; lectures on jihad; physical training; some weapons training, which did not include any weapons.
He said he and Nizar realized the only way to leave the camp early was to fall ill, so they pretended to fall ill, only to be sent to the camp infirmary. But then he said Nizar really did fall ill, eventually losing 45 pounds.
Mourad described reconnecting with Nizar after his time at the camp was over, and asking the Algerians for help leaving Afghanistan.
They told them they would have to wait a few weeks while arrangements were made, but then the USA attacked, and it was not possible to leave.
They had their convictions overturned on appeal on February 24, 2009.
Their convictions were overturned because they were based on interrogations conducted in Guantanamo, and the interrogations were conducted by French security officials, not law enforcement officials.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
who was detained by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in their naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
.
His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 325.
Sassi was transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2002. He was repatriated to France on July 27, 2004.
Sassis remained in French custody until January 9, 2006. Although originally convicted in France, his trial was overturned and he was released in February 2009.
Sassi worked for the Venissieux
Vénissieux
Vénissieux is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France. It is the second-largest suburb of the city of Lyon, and is adjacent to the southeast.-Transport:...
Council. Venissieux is a suburb or Lyon.
According to his brother, Aymen, Nizar traveled to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
to learn formal Arabic.
Security authorities claim Sassi travelled to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in 2001 at the direction of
Menad Benchellali
Menad Benchellali
Menad Benchellali is a suspected terrorist arrested in France on January 6, 2004.Benchellali is alleged to have been an al Qaeda chemical weapons specialist.Benchellali is alleged to have attended the derunta training camp in Afghanistan....
, an alleged al Qaeda recruiter.
Mourad Benchellali
Mourad Benchellali
Mourad Benchellali is a French citizen, who was captured and detained in the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camps. His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 161....
and Sassi are alleged to have traveled to Afghanistan on forged passports.
Nizar Sassi and four other men stood trial on terrorism charges upon their return to France.
The five men's conviction were overturned in February 2009, because they had improperly been interviewed by France's intelligence officials, who were not authorized to act in a law enforcement role.
On February 17, 2010, the Court of Cassation
Court of Cassation (France)
The French Supreme Court of Judicature is France's court of last resort having jurisdiction over all matters triable in the judicial stream but only scope of review to determine a miscarriage of justice or certify a question of law based solely on points of law...
, a higher court, ordered a re-trial of the five men.
Mourad Benchellali's McClatchy interview
On June 15, 2008 the McClatchy News Service published articles based on interviews with 66 former Guantanamo captives. McClatchy reporters interviewed Mourad Benchellali in France.In his interview Mourad described how he and Nizar were tricked into traveling to Afghanistan by his older brother Menad Benchellali.
He described how they found Afghanistan nothing like
what they expected. He described not speaking Pashtu, Dari
Dari (Eastern Persian)
Dari or Fārsī-ye Darī in historical terms refers to the Persian court language of the Sassanids. In contemporary usage, the term refers to the dialects of modern Persian language spoken in Afghanistan, and hence known as Afghan Persian in some Western sources. It is the term officially recognized...
or Arabic, but they met some Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
ns who spoke French, who suggested they attend a religious camp.
During his interview Mourad described what it was like to attend the training camp: a lot praying; lectures on jihad; physical training; some weapons training, which did not include any weapons.
He said he and Nizar realized the only way to leave the camp early was to fall ill, so they pretended to fall ill, only to be sent to the camp infirmary. But then he said Nizar really did fall ill, eventually losing 45 pounds.
Mourad described reconnecting with Nizar after his time at the camp was over, and asking the Algerians for help leaving Afghanistan.
They told them they would have to wait a few weeks while arrangements were made, but then the USA attacked, and it was not possible to leave.
French trial
Nizar Sassi, and four other French citizens, were convicted in 2007 of "criminal association with a terrorist enterprise."They had their convictions overturned on appeal on February 24, 2009.
Their convictions were overturned because they were based on interrogations conducted in Guantanamo, and the interrogations were conducted by French security officials, not law enforcement officials.
See also
- Mourad BenchellaliMourad BenchellaliMourad Benchellali is a French citizen, who was captured and detained in the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camps. His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 161....
- Imad KanouniImad KanouniImad Achab Kanouni is a French citizen who was held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba. Kanouni was captured in Afghanistan in 2001 and transferred to France on July 26, 2004...
- Brahim YadelBrahim YadelBrahim Yadel is a citizen of France held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camps, in Cuba.His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 371,...
- Karim BourtiKarim BourtiKarim Bourti is a citizen of Algeria, and former citizen of France, who was convicted of an association with terrorism.A French court convicted Karim Bourti of on association with terrorism in 1998....
- Khaled ben MustafaKhaled Ben MustafaKhaled Ben Mustafa is a citizen of France who was formerly held in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camps, in Cuba.The Department of Defense reports that Mustafa was born on January 9, 1972, in Lyon, France....
- Redouane Khalid