Another US offer of a home for Ahmed Belbacha?

The town of Leverett, Massachusetts will soon vote on a resolution which, if passed, will offer Ahmed Belbacha a second home in the US.

No More Guantánamos issued a press release today reminding the US public that the five remaining Uighurs in the Cuban detention centre are not the only individuals unable to return home safely.

The release also states that the town of Leverett, Massachusetts may mirror previous attempts made by Amherst, Massachusetts in offering Guantánamo Bay detainee, Ahmed Belbacha, a home in the States.

In November 2009, Amherst passed an unusual resolution affirming they would accept Ahmed as a welcome addition to their community. Leverett will consider a similar resolution on 24 April. Both resolutions are in defiance of the US Congress, which has banned any Guantánamo detainee ever setting foot in the United States unless for prosecution purposes.

Ahmed was cleared by the Bush Administration over three years ago, but remains in Cuba, fearful of what awaits him in his home country of Algeria. He has been found guilty, in absentia, in an Algerian court. The charges against Ahmed have never been publicly stated and to this day, his Reprieve lawyers still remain in the dark. It is extremely worrying that Ahmed may be forcefully repatriated to Algeria to suffer persecution and further torture.

Reprieve thanks Amherst and Leverett for their compassionate and progressive contributions to the fight to save Ahmed Belbacha.