Cablegate: Sweden Pays Damages to Second Expelled Egyptian

VZCZCXRO1645
OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSM #0646 2691500
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251500Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3759
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO IMMEDIATE 0058

UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000646

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PHUM PREF PGOV PREL EG SW
SUBJECT: SWEDEN PAYS DAMAGES TO SECOND EXPELLED EGYPTIAN

REF: STOCKHOLM 527

1. (U) On September 19, the Swedish government settled with
Ahmed Agiza, an Egyptian national, to pay around USD 500,000
in damages--a large amount in Swedish courts--related to the
circumstances of his deportation to Cairo. The award was not
directly related to his claims of torture by U.S. agents. In
December 2001, the Swedish Security Police, reportedly acting
in cooperation with the U.S., expelled via U.S. aircraft
Agiza and Muhammed Alzery/Mohammed al-Zari, suspected of
having connections with terrorist organizations. The Swedish
government sought and received assurances from the Egyptians
that Agiza and Alzery would not be tortured.

2. (U) The settlement stated that Agiza's claims of torture
by U.S. agents were credible and accused the Swedish Security
Police of allowing "brutal treatment" of the Egyptian by U.S.
agents. An identical decision on Alzery's case was made on
June 2 (reftel). The government has instructed the Swedish
Migration Board to review the men's request to overturn the
denials of their asylum applications. The Swedish Helsinki
Committee, representing both men, believes a decision on
asylum will be made this fall. Both men are in Egypt, but
only Agiza is incarcerated.
SILVERMAN

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