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Dispute between Tunisia and Germany over Osama bin Laden’s bodyguard

July 26, 2018 at 12:22 am

Sami Al-Aidoudi, who is suspected of being Osama bin Ladin’s bodyguard.

A Tunisian judicial official said, Tuesday, his country would not deport an Islamic extremist suspected of being Osama bin Laden’s bodyguard. Instead, Tunisia will investigate him on terrorism-related charges.

The German authorities had deported a man, known as ‘Sami A,’ to Tunisia two weeks ago. They had ignored warnings of potential torture and a judicial order that allowed him to stay.

Opposition politicians criticised German Interior Minister, Horst Seehofer’s, handling of the case. A German court has also filed a request to send the Tunisian man back.

Sofian Sliti, a spokesperson for Tunisia’s Counter-Terrorism Judiciary Body, said that the suspect is ‘Sami Al-Aidoudi.’ He will face trial in Tunisia for terrorism.

Read: Tunisia, Italy to conduct 60 joint defence activities in 2019

The suspect remains imprisoned in a detention centre in Tunis.

“There is no way to deport him to any other country. There is no basis for that. There is national sovereignty, and he will face trial according to the law on charges of terrorism outside the borders of the homeland,” Sliti explained.

Sliti rejected concerns over torture in Tunisia.

He went on: “As for the allegations that the suspect will be subject to torture, we would like to say that these are completely untrue accusations. We are sure that this will not happen. The judiciary is independent and will not tolerate such practices and that the suspect is a citizen who enjoys all the rights to a fair trial.”