Yasser Esam Hamdi, a US-born Saudi held for about three years in the United States as a "terror" suspect, returned to Saudi Arabia and renounced his US citizenship, the Saudi interior ministry said.
"Yasser Esam Hamdi, who had been detained in the United States, arrived in the kingdom today ... and was welcomed by his family," a ministry spokesman said, according to AFP.
He had been held in South Carolina for most of the time since being brought to the United States from Afghanistan in early 2002. He had allegedly fought with the Taliban.
"As soon as he arrived, he announced he was renouncing his US citizenship. He will be treated according to laws in force in the kingdom," the Saudi spokesman said. The deal with the U.S. government freeing Hamdi required that he give up his American citizenship and go to Saudi Arabia. Hamdi also was required to renounce terrorism, agree to live in Saudi Arabia for five years and not sue the U.S. government over his captivity. He is not allowed to ever travel to Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel, Pakistan or Syria, The AP reported.
It should be noted that Hamdi was not been charged with any crime. (albawaba.com)
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