Sister of Omar Khadr

CP Interview with Zaynab Khadr, sister of Omar Khadr, ‘Guantanamo’s child’

Omar Khadr was taken in to US custody at the age of 15 – horrifically wounded, emaciated and unconscious. Almost nine years later he remains the only western national held in Guantanamo Bay. Cageprisoners speaks to his sister, Zaynab, about the extraordinary plight of Omar Khadr and his family.

Omar Khadr was captured by US forces in Afghanistan during the summer of 2002 after a shoot-out that left several people dead, including a US forces operative. Omar received crippling shrapnel wounds to his eyes and feet and was shot twice in the back as he lay on the floor wounded. After surviving at unimaginable odds Omar was taken to the Bagram Theater Internment Facility and interrogated continuously until his transfer to Guantanamo later that year. During his time in custody, especially the first year, he endured torture, cruelty and degrading treatment – including threats of rape. He was not afforded protection under international regulations of children at war and has spent almost his entire adolescent life growing up in the cages of Guantanamo. {read rest}