The family of Mohammad Rahim, a detainee at Guantanamo Bay since 2008, is appealing for his release, contesting allegations of his ties to former al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
Rahim, apprehended at 33 in 2007 in Pakistan, faces charges of connections to Bin Laden. However, his family vehemently denies any association with al-Qaeda and demands a transparent inquiry into the circumstances of his arrest.
“Why is he imprisoned, and why is he in Guantanamo? He was arrested in Pakistan. He was innocent,” stated Rahim’s mother, Safoora, emphasizing their plea for clarity.
His brother, Mohammad Ismail, echoed the sentiment, calling for an impartial investigation into the arrest of Mohammad Rahim, challenging the grounds for his continued detention.
According to the US State Department, Rahim was detained by Pakistani security forces in 2007 over alleged links to Bin Laden and subsequently transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2008.
Established in 2002, Guantanamo Bay has seen over 200 Afghan citizens incarcerated, and accused of ties to terrorist groups, since its inception. A September report by The New York Times revealed that of the 780 detainees transferred to the prison, 219 were Afghan nationals.
Rahim’s release date remains uncertain due to US national security concerns, as reported by The New York Times. Afghanistan, followed by Saudi Arabia, has had the highest number of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay after the United States established the controversial detention facility.
