US Citizen Denies Terror Charges in UAE Court (Hamdan)

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Source: Associated Press

A U.S. citizen of Lebanese origin denied terrorism-related charges against him in the United Arab Emirates supreme court on Sunday and said he confessed under pressure because he wanted the ''beatings to stop.''

Naji Hamdan, a 43-year-old American of Lebanese origin, was charged with supporting terrorism, participating in the work of terrorist organizations, and being a member of a terrorist group. He denied all three charges during his first court appearance Sunday, 10 months after he was detained by UAE state security forces.

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On Sunday, Hamdan was brought into the Abu Dhabi court in a dark blue prison suit, shackled and chained to four other prisoners. The chains were removed before he walked in front of the four-judge panel. He told the presiding judge Khalifa al-Muhairi that he was not a terrorist and said he made a confession because he was being tortured.

''I had to sign it because I wanted the beatings to stop,'' Hamdan replied.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/06/14/world/AP-ML-Emirates-Terror-Trial.html?_r=1

[Solly Mack]

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