Kuwait has released another 10 American detainees, bringing to nearly two dozen the total freed by the country in the past two months, US officials said on Wednesday.
Kuwait’s pardons of 23 Americans since March as a good-will gesture by the US ally was the largest release of US citizens by a single foreign country in years.
The prisoners, men and women, include military contractors and veterans held on drug charges and other offences by Kuwait. Ten were released in March, weeks after a visit to Kuwait by Adam Boehler, who is US President Donald Trump’s envoy for hostage affairs.
“We flew out, we sat down with the Kuwaitis and they said, 'Listen, no one’s ever asked before at this level” for the release of the Americans, Mr Boehler said.
The releases were not part of a swap and the US was not asked to give up anything in return.
“They’ve been extremely responsive and their view is the United States is a huge ally. They know it’s a priority for [Mr Trump] to bring Americans home,” Mr Boehler said. “I credit it to the Kuwaiti understanding that we’ve stood up for them historically and they know that these things are important for the President.”
Kuwait is considered a major non-Nato ally of the US. The two countries have had a close military partnership since America launched the 1991 Gulf War to expel Iraqi troops after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, with about 13,500 US troops stationed in Kuwait at Camp Arifjan and Ali Al Salem Air Base.
But the country also has detained many American military contractors on drug charges, in some cases for years.
The Americans freed on Wednesday “maintain their innocence and it’s important to note none of these cases had an identified victim, and all of them were built on supposed confessions taken in Arabic without translation”, said a statement from Jonathan Franks, a private consultant working on cases involving American hostages and detainees, who represented nine of the 10 people released. He spent weeks in the country trying to negotiate the releases.
Mr Franks praised the Trump administration for looking “for reasons to bring Americans home” even when they are not designated by the US government has having been wrongfully detained.
“These Americans, mostly veterans, lost years with their families," he said.
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Miguel Cotto world titles:
WBO Light Welterweight champion - 2004-06
WBA Welterweight champion – 2006-08
WBO Welterweight champion – Feb 2009-Nov 2009
WBA Light Middleweight champion – 2010-12
WBC Middleweight champion – 2014-15
WBO Light Middleweight champion – Aug 2017-Dec 2017
Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The biog
Birthday: February 22, 1956
Born: Madahha near Chittagong, Bangladesh
Arrived in UAE: 1978
Exercise: At least one hour a day on the Corniche, from 5.30-6am and 7pm to 8pm.
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi? “Everywhere. Wherever you go, you can relax.”
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