Scapegoat? Journalist Jailed After Post 9/11 Osama Interview

Syrian-born journalist Tayseer Allouni.

Tayseer says he is being held in almost Guantanamo style detention. He is isolated 20 hours a day and only allowed to visit a small garden two hours in the morning.

By Citizen Correspondent Fatima Allouni

Date Posted: 05/27/06

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When Tayseer Allouni left his home in Spain to work for Al-Jazeera in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan a few years ago, the Syrian-born journalist appeared to prosper as a result of his contacts with the underworld of Islamic extremism. In October 2001, he became one of the few journalists to obtain an interview with Osama bin Laden. Allouni, one of the most prominent journalists in the Middle East, was arrested Nov. 2004 by the Spanish government, who claimed he, a Spanish citizen, had links to Al Qaeda.
He was later sentenced to seven years in a Spanish prison.

Allouni is currently in almost Guantanamo style detention. The following is a first person interview with Tayseer via his wife, Fatima, one of the only people allowed to communicate with Allouni after his sentencing. Al Jazeera is appealing the sentencing.

HOW IS TAYSEER FEELING AFTER ALL THESE MONTHS IN JAIL?

Tayseer says he is being held in almost Guantanamo style detention. He is isolated 20 hours a day and only allowed to visit a small garden two hours in the morning. He said he recently had a heart condition, but was denied the right to be taken to a hospital outside the prison. After a short court battle, he was allowed proper medical treatment. Despite all of this, he says he is in a good mood. Along with his lawyer, he is preparing his appeal, which should go before the judge this summer. Tayseer knows that what he is going through is because he is a journalist and he reported the truth about what was happening in Afghanistan even in the face of lies being told by the United States. I do not know if the U.S. directly influenced the outcome of the trial, but what we witnessed since he was arrested the first time leaves alot of questions in our minds. The American government has had a hand in it.

HOW DID THIS LEGAL PROCESS COME ABOUT?

The witch-hunt began even before the attacks of March 11th 2004. He was already being hounded then. Our lives changed when Tayseer was arrested the first time, two years ago. We were living in Qatar and had travelled to Spain on holiday. He was arrested there September 5th, 2003. Until he was sentenced, we were waiting for two years to see what was to happen. My sons and I have returned to Qatar to continue with our lives while my husband is in jail in Spain.