The national office and Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-FL) today welcomed the release of Florida teenager and American citizen Mohamed Ibrahim from Israeli military detention and urged the U.S. government to hold Israeli authorities accountable for the documented torture, starvation, and abuse he endured over nearly nine months of unjust imprisonment.
SEE:Mohamed Ibrahim Freed After Nine Months in Israeli Prison
Mohamed, a U.S. citizen from Florida, was abducted in the middle of the night, held without due process based on the false claim that he had thrown rocks at an Israeli vehicle, and subjected to repeated physical and psychological abuse in custody.
In his sworn statement, which CAIR-Florida recently shared with members of Congress, Mohamed detailed being beaten with rifle butts, starved, denied medical care, and threatened by masked interrogators who coerced him into a false confession under fear of further violence.
CAIR and CAIR-FL say that while Mohamed’s release is a long-overdue relief for his family and community, the U.S. government must not allow the Israeli military’s abuse of an American child to go unanswered.
“Mohamed’s homecoming is a blessing, but it does not erase the torture and suffering he endured,” said CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw. “The U.S. government has a responsibility to investigate Israel’s abuse of an American citizen and ensure that no other child—American or Palestinian—is subjected to the same treatment.”
In a statement, CAIR-Florida said:
“Mohamed should have spent this year studying for his learner’s permit and enjoying time with his family—not locked in a military prison, beaten, starved, and terrified. His release is cause for celebration, but it must also be a turning point. The U.S. cannot continue providing unchecked support to a government that tortures American children.”
CAIR and CAIR-FL are calling on the U.S. State Department, members of Congress, faith leaders, and civil society organizations to press for a full, public accounting of Mohamed’s treatment and to demand concrete consequences for the Israeli officials responsible.
The organizations also reaffirm their commitment to supporting Mohamed and his family as he recovers from the trauma of his imprisonment and to advocating for all children subjected to abuse under Israel’s military system.
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CONTACT: Wilfredo A. Ruiz, CAIR-Florida Communications Director, (305) 502-6749, wruiz@cair.com; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com