The first abduction from Abu Dhabi
In the early morning of the 20th of April 2001 while attending a wedding reception at the Intercontinental hotel in Abu Dhabi, Mr Al-Ghussein was approached by some plain-clothes officers who asked that he accompany them in a white Bentley to police head quarters. They would not give any reason nor would they allow Mr Al-Ghussein to contact his family or lawyer. Mr Al-Ghussein was detained for the next three days without access initially to his regular medication including insulin for diabetes. Subsequently the family learned that these events were as a result of a request from Abu Mazen, the current PA President, to Sheik Seif Bin Zayed the Abu Dhabi at the time Under Secretary of Interior and that HH Sheik Hamdan Bin Zayed Foreign Secretary of Abu Dhabi had authorised the illegal deportation in contravention of both local and international laws.
On the 22nd of April uniformed officers asked him to accompany them to intelligence headquarters. However, they took him to Abu Dhabi Bateen airport , used for private and royal flights, where he remained in the car surrounded by bodyguards until Arafat’s private plane landed with a number of Force 17 guards including Saeed Allam (Abu Saud,) Chief of Security who now resides in Dubai. This despite the fact that Mr Al Ghussein was a Jordanian citizen resident in Abu Dhabi. He was taken out of the country without his passport. This is in contravention to all local and international law.
Mr Al-Ghussein repeatedly requested an explanation for his arrest. At no time was an explanation provided. Mr Al-Ghussein was flown to Arish a town on the borders of Egypt and Palestine and then driven across the border to Arafat’s Presidential office where he was subsequently removed to a squalid apartment under 24 hour armed guards and was incommunicado for five months. He was denied access to legal and human rights representation, contact with his family and friends, exercise, fresh air and his regular medication. This caused a significant mental and physical toll on an already fragile 72-year-old man.
Even after the Supreme Court Judgment in his favour Abu Dhabi authorities conspired with PA operatives to kidnap Mr Al Ghussein and deny him any due process.
