U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan detained Airat Vakhitov, a Russian citizen, and held him in confinement at Guantanamo Bay for two years before releasing him a year ago. Vakhitov, living now in Tatarstan, has sued in U.S. courts, demanding that he be declared innocent of any crimes.
He makes the abuse allegations in his suit. AP quotes him as saying he never saw the defiling of the Koran but was told of it by a cellmate.
U.S. Ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow is visiting today in Kazan, capital of the Russian republic of Tatarstan. Asked about Vakhitov's charges, Vershbow insisted that conditions at Guantanamo Bay are human and that any misuse of the Koran would have been isolated and contrary to regulations.
Vakhitov said in a newspaper interview that he was abducted by terrorists during a visit to Tajkistan. He said his captors took him to Afghanistan and sold him to U.S. authorities for $5,000 as a terrorist. He said he is suing not primarily for compensation but to clear his name.
(Interfax/AFP/Reuters/AP)
He makes the abuse allegations in his suit. AP quotes him as saying he never saw the defiling of the Koran but was told of it by a cellmate.
U.S. Ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow is visiting today in Kazan, capital of the Russian republic of Tatarstan. Asked about Vakhitov's charges, Vershbow insisted that conditions at Guantanamo Bay are human and that any misuse of the Koran would have been isolated and contrary to regulations.
Vakhitov said in a newspaper interview that he was abducted by terrorists during a visit to Tajkistan. He said his captors took him to Afghanistan and sold him to U.S. authorities for $5,000 as a terrorist. He said he is suing not primarily for compensation but to clear his name.
(Interfax/AFP/Reuters/AP)
