Gholam Ghaus Z

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gholam Ghaus Z is a German citizen apprehended by American officials in Afghanistan.[1][2][3][4][5] Der Spiegel reports that he was of Afghan background and was apprehended while on a trip to visit relatives in Afghanistan. Deustche Welle reports that he is from the German city of Wuppertal.

Der Spiegel reports that the 41 year old man had taken early retirement, due to medical problems.[1][5] A second Der Spiegel report states that his Kabul relatives told him that, as a German citizen, he could shop in the supermarket on the USA's bas in Kabul, without any problems:

Gholam Z. borrowed a relative's car to go on what a security expert has called his "fatal shopping trip," during which he planned to buy a razor, among other items. According to his version of events, he drove up to the military base on Jan. 4, showed the guard his German passport in its red cover and was then allowed to pass through several security checkpoints without incident.

it reported that German security officials who investigated his background in Germany, and who interviewed him in Afghanistan, wer satisfied that there was no evidence of any tie to terrorism. Nevertheless, the USA has told German officials that he could not be released unless Germany provided assurances that amounted to "round the clock surviellance".

Der Spiegel reported that the USA had been holding Ghulam Ghaus Z for approximately four months, and that his continued detention had been putting a strain on the relationship between Germany and the USA.[1] Der Spiegel compared his detention to that of Murat Kurnaz.

The International Herald Tribune reported that authorities at the Bagram Theater Internment Facility had declined to comment on his detention.[2]

After talks with United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Frank-Walter Steinmeier Germany's Foreign Minister stated[6]:

"We hope that we can soon bring this case to a happy ending."

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c "A new Kurnaz case? German Held in US Custody in Kabul", Der Spiegel, April 19, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-04-19. 
  2. ^ a b "Germany says citizen held in US military custody in Afghanistan", International Herald Tribune, April 19, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-04-19. 
  3. ^ Frieder Reimold. "German held by US in Afghanistan", WTOP News, April 19, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-04-19. 
  4. ^ "German Citizen Held by US Forces as Terror Suspect", Deustche Welle, April 20, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-04-23. 
  5. ^ a b Matthias Gebauer, Holger Stark. "'A fatal shopping trip': US Military Detains German Citizen in Afghanistan", Der Spiegel, April 21, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-04-23. 
  6. ^ Stefan Nicola. "U.S. interrogation of German may strain ties with Berlin", United Press International, April 25, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-04-28.