CIA terror deportee given residency in Sweden
Published: 4 Jul 12 13:21 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/41832/20120704/
Egyptian national Ahmed Agiza, who was flown out of Sweden to Egypt by the CIA in 2001 where he was imprisoned until 2011, has been granted permanent residency in Sweden.
- Sweden to review CIA rendition case (18 Feb 12)
- Sweden refuses to release CIA flight info (19 Dec 11)
- CIA rendition deportee: 'Sweden is responsible' (15 Aug 11)
Agiza, who has a wife and child in Sweden who are Swedish citizens, had his request for permanent residency rejected by the government in 2009.
He spent nine years in an Egyptian prison after being whisked out of Sweden along with fellow Egyptian national Mohammed Alzery in December 2001.
The two men were forcibly handed over to the CIA by Swedish security service agents as part of a so called terror suspect “rendition” operation carried out by the US spy agency.
In Egypt, Alzery was freed by an Egyptian military court but Agiza received a
25-year prison sentence for terrorism which was later reduced to 15 years. He
was finally released from prison last August.
Stockholm was heavily criticised at home and by UN human rights agencies and other groups for the controversial decision which was taken by a previous Social Democratic government.
According to a survey published this week, Swedes consider the Egypt affair their country's worst political scandal in the past 20 years.
Sweden has acknowledged it made a mistake and has awarded the pair, who claimed they were also mistreated during their transfer to Cairo, three million kronor ($433,000) each in compensation.
In October, Agiza filed a new application for permanent residency at the Swedish embassy in Cairo.
Swedish security service Säpo has reviewed Agiza's application, reportedly travelling to Egypt to meet him personally.
On Monday, Säpo issued its ruling, paving the way for the Migration Board to issue a decision in the case.
While Säpo likely found that Agiza does not represent a security threat to Sweden, Ribbenvik refused to say explicitly what the security agency concluded.
"The Migration Board has full confidence in Säpo's knowledge, competence, and judgment," he told TT.
Ribbenvik explained that the government and the Migration Board reached different conclusions about the security risk posed by Agiza due to Säpo's fresh review of the case.
He emphasized as well that the new decision can't be overturned.
"The case is closed," he said.
TT/AFP/The Local/dl
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People suspected of crimes are not criminals, no properly functioning justice system works like that. hence the use of the English word "suspect".
How about we apply this policy with a broad brush, if you are suspected of crime, we skip court and just sentence you as that is enough reason to exact our pound of flesh.
Do we arrest every suspected rapist and lock them up forever? what then prevents a group of people from "suspecting" you and dump you in jail to rot. Yeh, we don't like Joe Public, lets suspect him of something. A suspicion is just that and nothing more, in fact its likely that more people than not are never convicted in a functioning judical system.
These are not the principles on which the Swedish society was built, or is premised. It wouldn't have happened 100yrs ago why should it happen now?
If someone is arrested, charged, tried and convicted then by all means he is a criminal and should be dealt with accordingly. Failing that, they are humans governed by the same principle of "jämlikhet" as you and I.
In a nutshell, yes.
This man is yet to be tried and convicted in a Swedish court of any crimes of terrorism, and some think his treatment was fair. Where have we departed from the very fundamental principles justice. I have no idea if this man is a terrorist or not but unless and until he is brought to the books according to rules of natural justice, he is a free and innocent man.
I shudder to think that I could live in a society where people could possibly be given such a treatment on nothing more than someone's suspicion ! ! !
If you would read the article, the above gentleman was actually convicted and sentenced to 25 (reduced later to 15) years. So the very educational rhetoric that you display, is actually a bit empty… Alternatively, you could argue that third world country conviction is not valid, but then you may declare judicial invalidity of majority of earth population.
Bottom line, the guy is a convicted terrorist that is welcome to live by YOUR house, as decided by your government.
Secondly, you are seriously mistaken that a suspect has the same equalities as yourself. Take the suspected, but still not convicted Breivik, who happens not to hang around in some Oslo bar, but to sit within grey walls, in spite of the lack of conviction. It would be very interesting to see your reaction if Breivik would be welcome in Sweden as a Swedish citizen.
Global1
According to your logic, Sweden should accept EVERY prisoner who was sentenced in the third world, due to the obvious invalidity of these countries judicial system. Sounds like a plan to me.
Quite rightly Assange playing hard ball on Trumped up rubbish on him.!
"In Egypt, Alzery was freed by an Egyptian military court but Agiza received a
25-year prison sentence for terrorism which was later reduced to 15 years."
You seem to have conveniently failed to read this line.
#11 - The Breviek comparison is flawed, he has not been sentenced he is still in court. You can keep someone under arrest while there is a matter before the courts. This was not the case with this man.
The notion that people are repatriated to be tried for their crimes is totally flawed. Assange isn't being sent to Australia is he? Guantanomo is being emptied from repatration, is it?
# 14
A military court in an autocracy?
Do you know how many military courts are convened in Sweden yearly?'
the trial and conviction - so much to read and understand, read beyond the local's report, it is but a very short summary, my friend.
The benefit is that its demoralising to swedish taxpayers when an extreme islamist first is given very generous compensation from swedish taxpayers for excesses that they had nothing to do with. And then given a swedish citizenship to boot.
All these little contributions will finally dismantle central authority in sweden. The sooner it happens the safer us swedes will be.
Its also fun to see that swedens government is not demanding compensation for the expenses forced upon the swedish taxpayers by the actions of the US and the Egyptian government. So it is clear that the lojalty of the swedish government is:
1)Extreme islamists 2)The taxpayers of Egypt and the USA 3)The taxpayers of sweden.
In that order. As the poet sings, these are the days of miracle and wonder.
Well said.
Happy to not pay my taxes in Sweden anymore.
In Sweden, libel is a civil wrong, but also a crime punishable by imprisonment. Mr Agiza was kidnapped, rendered and then falsely imprisoned for charges which have now been dropped. Unless you have any other evidence Mr Agiza is a terrororist, you all seem to be at risk of a criminal and civil prosecution, and a consequent criminal conviction. In light of your posts above, I can't imagine what kind of defence you might put forward at your trial. Oh sweet irony, Mr Agiza is not a criminal, and you are.
Your identity is not entirely protected here at the Local, a police investigation would quickly ascertain who you are, and if you are now within the Swedish juristiction. If you are in Sweden, my advice to you would be to quickly leave. Perhaps for Equador. Sleep well tonight guys.
Did you read the article?
"In Egypt, Alzery was freed by an Egyptian military court but Agiza received a
25-year prison sentence for terrorism which was later reduced to 15 years."
So stop blabbering, buddy.
Your faith in an Egyptian miilitiary court is touching. Mr Agiza was freed last year after submissions from Sweden and the US who managed to convince the Egyptians he was in fact innocent after all. SÄPO, Sweden and the US stand by their assessment Mr Agiza is innocent. If you know different, tell us why. It seems the only people who say Mr Agiza is a terrorist are those listed in #25 above, and now you.
Sleep well tight tonight. I'm sure the police won't come for you quite so soon.
The fewer that pay taxes in sweden the better for everyone.
I should hope (but not entirely convinced) that the police have better things to do than run around after the posters on here...but if you do believe thats the case, I think you should be having some sleepless nights if my memory serves me well...
I cannot understand whether you are on too much medication or too little. Your overly excited babbling is a bit concerning. Perhaps you are just a kid? Mmm.
Let's try it.
So what you are saying is that the charges were dropped? Coincidentally an egyptian terrorist organization happened to do a coup that overthrew the dictator, fill the parliament and place a president at the same time? Wow!
So when Taliban will come back to power after the US is out of Afghanistan, all of a sudden the released Taliban fighters will be innocent, as the charges are "dropped"?
In addition, are you saying that a military court in developing countries cannot be right by definition? So do you suggest that 85% of the earth population cannot have a trustable judicial system? So are you calling massive poor world majority incompetent morons?
This smells to me as intolerance and pure xenophobia declared publicly! I would say that there is an excellent case against you here. Nighty night
This has got to be one of the most ridiculous things I've ever read. It was HIS PEOPLE that jailed him for 9 years in HIS COUNTRY OF ORIGIN; they should pay if anyone does. Sweden's need to please is fascinatingly bizarre.
Sweden can provide Mr Agiza grief counseling to get over it.
"He was "convicted" by a military dictatorship,a junta,ruling Egypt"
The charges were "dropped" by blood thirsty dictatorship that used to explode in churches and now is wearing suits and that is now ruling Egypt.
More than 80% of the world population has "doubtful" courts. Should Sweden invite all the inmates in these countries, as they are "not guilty" by definition?
As the forum about Assange proves, Swedish courts are not fair and evil.
As this forum proves, US courts are not fair and evil. Apparently the Egyptian courts WERE not fair and evil and finally they became fair and lovely when they put all the previous leadership into prison and released all the animals responsible for bombings of civilians out of the prisons.
May I ask which country's laws are fair? Where is this blessed country located?
How come an Egyptian court was not valid by default, whereas now it is absolutely correct by default? How come when Säpo points at "young, good muslims" as those involved in terror, they are incompetent fools who are paid by the US, but when they do not oppose an entry of a convicted terrorist, they are all of a sudden the most trustable organization ever to engage terror?
I'm guessing, any country that has the word sharia in their justice? system.
For whatever reason, SÄPO decided to hand him over to the CIA.
SÄPO and the Swedish government has since done a full investigation and concluded that the man does NOT pose any security risk, and has been granted residency as well as compensation for the horror caused to him and his family through this ordeal.
To me this says that my government and security services has the balls to admit that they were wrong and to do all they can to fix the issue.
" He spent nine years in an Egyptian prison after being whisked out of Sweden along with fellow Egyptian national Mohammed Alzery in December 2001.
The two men were forcibly handed over to the CIA by Swedish security service agents as part of a so called terror suspect "rendition" operation carried out by the US spy agency.
In Egypt, Alzery was freed by an Egyptian military court but Agiza received a
25-year prison sentence for terrorism which was later reduced to 15 years. He
was finally released from prison last August."
Bet he won't be voting Soc. Dem.
Uncle is an Israeli extremist.
What a complete buffoon. Any one you speak to in Sweden feels ashamed of these events, yet Ben Uncle as usual is lost in the forrest of hate.
well said. he seems to be a very negative individual, not in a cynical, skeptical way but rather hateful and ignorant way. and as long as no one takes him seriously he'll either drop that attitude or end up in a mental institution.
"If there was any doubt in anyones mind, it is now completely clear...
Uncle is an Israeli extremist."
Yepp.. That is me. IF there was a doubt in anyone's mind. You are on to me!
Cowboy, you forgot to mention who my mama is, as a usual argument of your repertoire. And then whoye would be really happy. Applause would be endless.
And that is based upon my opinion that even dictatorship courts shall be considered as valid and their conviction in terror should not be disregarded when scum, that you love so much, is invited into this country and paid taxpayers money…
No, you are completely correct. What a power of deduction! God, you should make money with your gift!
On the topic of breaking down posters MOs...
What's the psychological profile of the Local's resident histrionic princess @cowboykodp who's narcisstic enough to constantly assert that he speaks for all Swedes, Americans, Jews, et al?
One too many participation trophies as a kid it sounds like...
You're always a winner in Mommy's book @cowboy. Even if the real world isn't recognizing it.
I wonder, though - where will the money come from in years to come... when there are more parasites than Swedish tax payers?
" Any one you speak to in Sweden feels ashamed of these events"
Agreed, it is very shameful that Sweden would repatriate a CONVICTED terrorist, and then give him 1/2 million dollars to top it off.
Since you brought up the subject of hate, the muslim Egyptians and the rest of the muslim arabs, are far and away the leaders in that dept., with their pervasive hatred of jews, and christians.
Not to mention this sick little diddly,
Link,
"Why Do Muslims Teach Their Children To Hate?"
It is even more crazy that Migrationsverket will never revoke a naturalised citizens right to be in Sweden even if it is found out that the person got the citizenship illegally!
That is why you have people in Sweden who are mafia or terrorists or anti-semetic fanatics. I know that this is true and I know that these people conspire behind decent Swedes backs.