Friday, August 15, 2008

Abbas’s henchmen torture old man from Nablus; now fighting for his life


From Anas al-Masri, Nablus

"An elderly man from Nablus is fighting for his life in a local hospital after undergoing severe physical and psychological torture at the hands of CIA-trained Palestinian security (PA) interrogators

The man, identified as Hajji Marwan K. Al-Khalili, had a massive stroke Thursday during a “torture session” at the Preventive Security headquarters in Nablus. According to his family, the torture included severe beating, using plastic hoses, electric shocks, hooding, shaking, and sleep deprivation.

Al-Khalili, 67, was abducted by PA security personnel at the Allenby border crossing on 5 August as he was returning home from Saudi Arabia where he performed Umra, or Minor Pilgrimage to Islam’s holy sites in Mecca and Madina.

Treating doctors told this reporter (on condition of anonymity given Fatah’s reign of terror in West Bank) that al-Khalili had a brain hemorrhage and that efforts were being made to save his life.

The PA security agencies have refused to allow his family and friends to visit him.

Earlier this year, interrogators loyal to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas tortured 45-year-old Majd al Barghouthi to death. Two investigation committees concluded that the man was tortured to death. PA officials, including PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas had vowed to put an end to torture in PA jails and lockups.

However, torture, even on a wider scale, persisted in PA jails as reported by victims recently freed. At least 5 Palestinians have been either murdered or tortured to death by PA security personnel since Hamas’s counter-coup in Gaza over a year ago.

In recent weeks, the PA rounded up hundreds of suspected Hamas supporters on charges of “endangering national security.” However, human rights groups in the occupied Palestinian territories agree that the charges are mostly disingenuous and that the real motive behind the sweeping arrests was revenge."

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