U.S. is coaxing Ghana into accepting the Yemeni die-hard criminals already in Ghana
Ghana is a country plagued by a very high unemployment, including 127,000 graduates from the universities of the country. Besides, there are young boys and young girls along the major streets of the cities selling among others; pastries, cool water in sachets called “pure water”, and dog leashes. This is a way of making a living.
The nation Ghana, which has major streets in the cities without light at night, is in a dilemma to maintain 24 hour surveillance on the two Yemeni criminals. The streets with light poles have most of the bulbs burnt out or dead which are yet to be changed. It is therefore impossible for Ghana’s security apparatus to do what is expected of them. Besides, there is DUMSOR.
May I remind Ghanaians that late President Hilla Limann was officially informed that Captain (retired) Kojo Tsikata was strategising a coup d’état. He authorised a 24-hour surveillance of a joint military cum police intelligence on him. Eventually, the coup happened. I therefore cannot trust the security agencies about surveillance.
When al-Qaida or ISIS infiltrates into this country, the security will accept the money and allow the criminals the free operation. The reason is simple. Corruption is rampant because the workers cannot make ends meet. Within the two years of their stay, Ghana will be a colony of either or both.
Ghanaians should not be surprised to learn about al-Qaida or ISIS recruitment in Ghana after only six months or there about of their stay and should also not forget that U.S. Embassy Information Officer Sarah Stealy is a trained staff to go extra mile to defend the policies of the U.S. government.
In Canada, if a naturalized citizen commits a heinous crime, that person is denaturized and deported back to his/her country of birth. I therefore do not see any justification in sending the two criminals to Ghana for two years instead of Yemen. Ghanaians have not been told the reason of sending them to Ghana.
According to Joy FM’s Top Story Tuesday, Sarah will not speak to a classified 2007 document from U.S. which assessed Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby as dangerous.
The December 28, 2007, document leaked by the New York Times newspaper and U.K. Telegraph revealed Bin Atef “served as a fighter in the UBL’s 5th Arab Brigade” and travelled to Afghanistan to fight on the front lines in Konduz.
Bin Atef has also led a detainee’s unrest in Guantanamo Bay and once threatened to slit the throat of U.S. citizens if ever released.
“But Sarah says the U.S. as a long-standing policy does not comment on documents allegedly leaked.” She pointed out a 2010 assessment which is publicly displayed on its website, and which shows the two detainees were qualified for transfer.
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The Oboma administration must know that the criminals do not qualify to transfer to Ghana but to Yemen. Ghanaians will do whatever it takes to make their stay very unpleasant
The U.S. Task Force used its wide experience to influence the Ghanaian Task Force into agreeing that Bin Atef and Salih Al-Dhuby are good to stay in Ghana for two years.
Is it not preposterous, provocative or annoying to say “if there is any possible threat, Ghana has the ability and security measures in place” to neutralize the threat. The U.S. government knows very well Ghana`s knowledge and intelligence over the shipment. Hence Sarah is stalwartly singing her master`s voice. She also explained this conclusion was arrived at after Oboma ordered a “comprehensive inter-agency review” between 2009 and 2010.
Our incompetent and clueless President John Mahama has already described the two Yemeni criminals as low-level operatives who played ``no operational role in Afghanistan``. Does Mahama know the havoc and damage these two dangerous criminals can cause the nation`.
She stressed President Barack Oboma has promised to close down Guantanamo Bay because it has ``a brochure for terrorist``, he said at his last State of the Union Address Tuesday in Congress.
The two criminals, who have been shipped to Ghana, are from Yemen. The International Law permits the U.S. government to deport them to the country of their birth, if the U.S. law does not permit a released detainee to stay in the country. But the detainee is cleared to live in any country the U.S. considers an ally.
For arresting and detaining these two criminals at Guantanamo Bay without charges and subsequent trial, U.S. has problem on its hands to deal with. Oboma has himself to blame because he did not allow the criminals to face court marshal. He wanted them to be tried by a civil court of Justice.
Now it is impossible because the U.S. Congress and the populace have refused them to be tried by civil court. It will never be easy and simple for Oboma to close the Guantanamo Bay at the end of his tenure, since there are about 130 detainees still languishing there.
If Oboma had accepted the court marshal, all cases would have been disposed by now. He has exactly one year or twelve months for his administration to close the Detention Centre. Which countries are willing to accept criminals from Guantanamo Bay within this short period of time?
U.S. Embassy in Ghana must tell Ghanaians how much money is involved in the deal. Otherwise, the so-called detainees will not feel comfortable in the country.
SOURCE: DR. BOAKYE YIADOM