June 30, 2002.

Story of Himamuddin involved in Rs.1000 crores Spare Parts Scandal in the UAE

He was given a Ponnada last year by NORKA Chief Giji Thomason as the most prominent Gulf Malayali in the UAE. Indians who are at the helm of affairs in major companies are tempted to commit fraud and sign on dotted lines, but when it comes to investigation and court cases, they will be the first victims. The case of a senior bank executive who has been occupying a top position in an Arab bank is a clear example..Watch this space.

Saudi delegation to visit Prisoners, 12 Kuwaiti families sue US over Guantanamo detainees

The families of 12 Kuwaitis arrested and detained at US Naval base at Guantanamo Bay, in an inhuman manner, have sued the United States government in a US federal Court in Washington, reported New York Times. Several Arabs, including the 12 were arrested during the US campaign in Afghanistan last year following the Sept 11 attacks. The Kuwaiti families are seeking legal assistance to meet with the prisoners and to know the exact charges "if any" against them. They want the detainees to have the right to lawyers and access to some form of court. Kuwaiti officials told the Times that the government is paying the legal costs, which the families say may reach $500,000 and which their law firm, Shearman & Sterling, says it will donate to charity.

Relatives are waiting to hear what sort of evidence the US has on these people. Notes arrive sporadically from the Kuwaiti prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, Cub which contain brief messages, mostly asking whether a wife has given birth or how the children are doing in school. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has dispatched a team of experts to inspect the conditions of over 100 of its nationals detained in the US base in Cuba after receiving a go-ahead from Washington. The team, composed of officials from the interior and foreign ministries, left the Kingdom on Friday, Al-Watan Arabic daily reported yesterday quoting an Interior Ministry source.

More than 560 suspected Taleban and Al-Qaeda fighters, nationals of over 30 countries, are being held in the Guantanamo base, where they were transferred from Afghanistan and Pakistan on suspicion of links with terrorist organizations. Interior Minister Prince Naif said in January that there were more than 100 Saudis detained in Guantanamo. He requested their repatriation to interrogate them in the Kingdom. He later suggested that Riyadh would, if allowed, send a commission to Guantanamo to interrogate them there, reported Arab News. US authorities have refused to give the Guantanamo detainees prisoner-of-war status, as set out under the Geneva Conventions, and are reserving the right to try them before secret US military tribunals that have the power to impose the death penalty. So far, none of them have been charged with any crime.(keralamonitor.com)