Former Muslim chaplain at Gitmo slams US policy

The US Army used religion as a weapon against detainees at Guantanamo Bay,according to a former army captain who shared his experience as a Muslim chaplain at the detention centre....

The US Army used religion as a weapon against detainees at Guantanamo Bay,according to a former army captain who shared his experience as a Muslim chaplain at the detention centre with participants in the International Islamic Conference on Wednesday.

James Yusuf Yee is on his first visit to India to participate in the 10-day conference organised by the Islamic Research Foundation. He is one of the many speakers and Islamic scholars who invited to the conference initiated by Muslim scholar Dr Zakir Naik to clear misconceptions about Islam.

Yee,a 41-year-old American citizen of Chinese origin who worked for the US Army for 14 years,was among the first Muslim chaplains educating US military about Islam following the 9/11 attacks.

In December 2002,he was sent to the controversial Guantanamo Bay to cater to the religious needs of its 700 Muslim detainees. I also had to build a better understanding of Islam within the military soldiers dealing with the inmates. But I realised that the US Army was using religion as a weapon against the detainees,all of whom were Muslims. Human rights of the Muslim inmates were blatantly being violated and went against the Geneva Convention on human rights, Yee said.

His claimed that he opposed the cruel treatment meted out to the inmates and advised camp commanders to change their attitude. His opposition was met with much dissent from the US Army and in September 2003 he was secretly arrested on charges of spying,espionage and aiding the Taliban and al-Qaeda,Yee said. He was put in solitary confinement for 76 days at a naval prison where he was subjected to the same treatment as that imposed on Guantanamo detainees. The US government later dropped all charges against him and he was reinstated to full duty. Yee,however,resigned in January 2005.

He later documented his experiences in a book,For God and Country: Faith and Patriotism Under Fire. After retirement,I have been fighting for the closure of the Guantanamo Bay and reinstatement of the fundamental rights of the inmates, Yee said.

Calling himself a proud American,Yee said that the treatment meted out by his country against Muslims disturbed him greatly as it tarnished the reputation of the country that has the most tolerant constitution.

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Yee called former US president George W Bush as being responsible for demonization of Muslims during the Iraq war. After 9/11,the Bush administrations actions made it seem like every Muslim was a potential enemy so much so that with a record like mine,I too was not spared the suspicion and put in prison despite being born and brought up as an American citizen, Yee said.

In 2008,Yee gave public support to Barack Obama in his presidential campaign. Obamas promise of closing the Guantanamo Bay made me support him. But the closure is still awaited even after serving 10 months in office, Yee said.