Qatari Diplomat En Route to Florence to Visit Al-Marri

By Jeralyn, Section Colorado News
Posted on Thu Apr 08, 2010 at 03:16:01 PM EST
Tags: (all tags)

Share This: Digg!

So, Qatari diplomat Mohammed Al-Madadi, believed to have been sneaking a smoke during a flight to Denver, was en route to the prison at Florence, Colorado to check on the welfare of Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, a Qatari citizen convicted of terrorism. (Plea Agreement here.)From the BOP website:

ALI SALEH KAHLAH AL-MARRI
#12194-026
44-White-M
01-18-2015
FLORENCE HIGH USP

Al-Marri was originally held in the South Carolina brig as an enemy combatant and transferred to civilian custody when he was indicted in Illinois for conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. He pleaded guilty was sentenced and is serving his time in Florence.

That's a perfectly proper basis for a visit. It's an important role of consular officials -- checking the welfare of citizens imprisoned in other countries. Al Marri had previously complained of abusive treatment. [More...]

Here is Bush's Executive Order declaring him an enemy combatant.

More here.

Here are some videos of him during his six years in the military brig. Via ACS:

These videos show ... al-Marri[ ] struggling with his six years of solitary confinement, hiding under a metal bed without a mattress and circling his tiny windowless cell for hours," reports The Post and Courier. "Other videos later in al-Marri's incarceration show him bantering easily with brig staff as they place blackout goggles, earmuffs and chains on him before taking him out of his cell."

< Qatari Diplomat Released, No Charges, Flies Back to DC | HuffPo Launches Twitter Edition >

Legal

Nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice. TalkLeft does not give legal advice.

TalkLeft is not responsible for and often disagrees with material posted in the comments section. Read at your own risk.

Qatari Diplomat En Route to Florence to Visit Al-Marri | 11 comments (11 topical)

Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

"Florence" made me think I will take (none / 0) (#1)
by oculus on Thu Apr 08, 2010 at 03:22:20 PM EST

up smoking to get there. Not the prison though.

Diplomat? (none / 0) (#2)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Apr 08, 2010 at 03:28:06 PM EST

Is that what they call college-aged database administrators these days?

He must be something other than (none / 0) (#3)
by oculus on Thu Apr 08, 2010 at 03:41:42 PM EST

"service staff." US State Dept.


: Yep, he's an admin, it's even in his job title. (none / 0) (#5)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Apr 08, 2010 at 03:53:39 PM EST

Jealous? (none / 0) (#6)
by squeaky on Thu Apr 08, 2010 at 03:59:11 PM EST

Someone younger than you who enjoys privileges you dream about?

It is interesting to imagine, that his gesture on the plane may have been a practical attempt to point out that the terrorists have won.


: Yep, you got it. As you always do. (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Apr 08, 2010 at 04:15:29 PM EST

: I can't imagine how that would help (none / 0) (#8)
by observed on Thu Apr 08, 2010 at 06:02:49 PM EST

the prisoner.
Most people will just think that this was another Arab terrorist.
Of course, if someone smoked on MY plane, I would consider that a mild form of terrorism.

Maybe the point... (none / 0) (#4)
by kdog on Thu Apr 08, 2010 at 03:46:19 PM EST

of Mo's whole Camel-Gate episode was to drawn attention to the deplorable conditions in Florence.

Silly Mo...America knows and America likes it.

When it was first built, I toured (none / 0) (#9)
by athyrio on Thu Apr 08, 2010 at 07:55:12 PM EST

that prison...Wow what an institution...It has max as well as sections for less than max, etc..Very scary place just to tour...a lot of stuff is underground...I would think impossible to escape from there...One of our friends has a son that is a guard there...That (to me) would be very depressing to work there...YUCK...However, nearby is a lovely part of Colorado (Sangre De Christo Mountain range which is worth the drive to see if you never have)

From the federal prison locator data (none / 0) (#10)
by Peter G on Thu Apr 08, 2010 at 10:09:56 PM EST

that TL posted, it appears that al-Marri is in the ordinary "high" security penitentiary at Florence, and not in the notorious "supermax" ADX facility.


: as far as I know (none / 0) (#11)
by athyrio on Fri Apr 09, 2010 at 08:43:28 AM EST

they are the same buildings only super max is in the basement and the other isn't...I have been gone from Florence for a few years but that was the case when I lived near there in Westcliffe...