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Yemeni authorities again fail to bring American detainee to court appearance | Yemeni authorities again fail to bring American detainee to court appearance |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Yemeni authorities failed to bring an American who has been held for nearly five years to a scheduled court appearance for the seventh successive time on Wednesday, according to his lawyers. | Yemeni authorities failed to bring an American who has been held for nearly five years to a scheduled court appearance for the seventh successive time on Wednesday, according to his lawyers. |
The absence from court of Sharif Mobley, a father of three from New Jersey, only deepens the mystery surrounding his fate since he effectively disappeared in Yemen’s judicial system. | The absence from court of Sharif Mobley, a father of three from New Jersey, only deepens the mystery surrounding his fate since he effectively disappeared in Yemen’s judicial system. |
Mobley, 30, has been held since January 2010 after being detained on suspicion of terrorist connections. He was never charged with terrorism, but was accused of murder after allegedly killing a prison guard during a botched escape attempt. | Mobley, 30, has been held since January 2010 after being detained on suspicion of terrorist connections. He was never charged with terrorism, but was accused of murder after allegedly killing a prison guard during a botched escape attempt. |
Mobley’s wife, Nzinga Islam, said in a phone interview that her husband is not being told about his scheduled court appearances and has been denied access to a lawyer for months. | Mobley’s wife, Nzinga Islam, said in a phone interview that her husband is not being told about his scheduled court appearances and has been denied access to a lawyer for months. |
“He’s clueless,” said Islam, who said she spoke with her husband briefly Dec. 29 when a sympathetic guard slipped him a cellphone to call her in New Jersey. “He has no idea he has hearings going on and he’s not being brought to them. I said, ‘On the 7th, you have another one.’ I just wanted him to know.” | “He’s clueless,” said Islam, who said she spoke with her husband briefly Dec. 29 when a sympathetic guard slipped him a cellphone to call her in New Jersey. “He has no idea he has hearings going on and he’s not being brought to them. I said, ‘On the 7th, you have another one.’ I just wanted him to know.” |
Mobley has told his wife he is being held on a military base in Sanaa, the Yemeni capital. | |
A local lawyer has been showing up in court trying to submit a motion for an investigation into Mobley’s detention. Court officials won’t allow him to see Mobley unless the American signs a paper authorizing the visit. But the Yemeni authorities won’t say where Mobley is being held, according to Namir Shabibi, a case worker with Reprieve, a London-based legal rights group that is representing Mobley. | A local lawyer has been showing up in court trying to submit a motion for an investigation into Mobley’s detention. Court officials won’t allow him to see Mobley unless the American signs a paper authorizing the visit. But the Yemeni authorities won’t say where Mobley is being held, according to Namir Shabibi, a case worker with Reprieve, a London-based legal rights group that is representing Mobley. |
“This highlights the Catch-22 situation the family and lawyer are in,” said Shabibi. | “This highlights the Catch-22 situation the family and lawyer are in,” said Shabibi. |
The State Department declined comment, citing privacy reasons. A spokesman for the Yemeni Embassy said a strike by judges and political upheaval in the country, where rebels have taken over parts of the capital, has made it difficult to get answers about the case. | The State Department declined comment, citing privacy reasons. A spokesman for the Yemeni Embassy said a strike by judges and political upheaval in the country, where rebels have taken over parts of the capital, has made it difficult to get answers about the case. |
In the meantime, Islam fears for her husband’s safety. She said he told her a hood was placed over his head when he was taken recently to another facility where interrogators stepped on his neck and used a racial slur. | In the meantime, Islam fears for her husband’s safety. She said he told her a hood was placed over his head when he was taken recently to another facility where interrogators stepped on his neck and used a racial slur. |
Islam said Mobley is trying to act confident and upbeat. In their most recent phone call, she said, he spoke with their 7-year-old daughter, and told her, “Don’t worry, I’ll be home soon.” | Islam said Mobley is trying to act confident and upbeat. In their most recent phone call, she said, he spoke with their 7-year-old daughter, and told her, “Don’t worry, I’ll be home soon.” |
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