Morocco: Ex- Guantanamo prisoner appears in court

Moroccan ex-Guantanamo prisoner, Younes Chkouri has appeared in court for offence against national security, his lawyer announced on Tuesday.

Chkouri was released by the US from Guantanamo when they discovered that allegations against him were false. He had received military training in Afghanistan.

He is alleged to have ties to the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group (GICM) or Groupe Islamique Combattant Marocain.

I was called Younes Chkouri and when I was arrested I lost my name and my identity and I became number 197.

Head of the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations in Morocco had said that the Moroccan government “can choose to maintain the allegations dropped by the US.”

However, Chkouri has denied having had anything to do with Osama bin Laden or al-Qaeda. He said he despised their philosophy.

“I was called Younes Chkouri and when I was arrested I lost my name and my identity and I became number 197. I spent 13 years and 10 months in Guantanamo before they transferred me to Morocco.”

He was imprisoned for 149 days after his return, without any charges or detailed explanation.

His lawyer, Khalil El-Idrissi said his hearing will determine if he will face charges of conspiracy against national security.

“In my opinion, there were no objective data which must be justified by the justice to pursue his case. But in a general way, we wait for the continuation of the procedure in the right direction so that he would get back his complete freedom.”

Although since his release from prison, “he has been left to fend for himself, unable to purchase the proper medication to treat his wounds, he said he remains hopeful for the future.”

He plans to be reunited with his Algerian wife in about two weeks time.