Benemar Benatta
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Benemar "Ben" Benatta is an Algerian refugee, currently living in Canada.[1] On September 12, 2001, the day following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Benatta was taken into United States Federal custody as a terrorist suspect.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Benatta was held for 1,780 days.[1] Benatta has the distinction of being held in custody, in the USA, longer than any other suspect, without facing charges.
Benatta was a Lieutenant in the Algerian Air Force, sent to the United States on a training exchange.[1] He was to participate in a six month program for foreign air force engineers, in Virginia. But Benatta says it was always his intention to use his trip to seek asylum in Canada.
Benatta crossed the Canadian border on September 5, 2001, and applied for refugee status.[1] Canadian immigration officials handed him over to US officials on September 12, 2001.
The Los Angeles Times reports that by November 2001 American security officials had determined that Benatta had no ties to terrorism.[1]
On July 20, 2006 American officials handed Benatta back to Canadian immigration officials.[1]
The Los Angeles Times quoted Benatta:[1]
- "I say to myself from time to time, maybe what happened ... it was some kind of dream. I never believed things like that could happen in the United States."
[edit] References
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