Stockholm - An Egyptian national who was handed over to the
CIA in 2001 and deported to Egypt in a much-criticized decision has
demanded 30 million kronor (4.3 million dollars) in compensation from
the Swedish government, his lawyer said Thursday.
Mohammed al-Zari and fellow national Ahmed Agiza were in December
2001 handed over to CIA agents and flown to Egypt where they were
suspected of terrorist activities.
Terrorist suspects often risk torture in Egypt but the former
Swedish government relied on assurances from Cairo that the two men
would not be ill-treated.
'The Swedish state is jointly responsible for the torture and
other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment al-Zari was subjected
to,' lawyer Kjell Jonsson told Swedish radio news.
'The terrible suffering he was subjected to during the 675 days he
was held in Egypt form the basis for the compensation demand,' he
added.
Earlier this year, Migration and Asylum Minister Tobias Billstrom
said the cabinet had ordered the chancellor of justice to investigate
possible demands for compensation from al-Zari.
Jonsson said his client, who was in Egypt, was also considering a
new request for asylum in Sweden after the government ordered the
Swedish Migration Board to allow al-Zari to renew his application.
Sweden has been criticized by among others the UN Human Rights
Committee over the renditions of al-Zari and Agiza.
Agiza has earlier alleged that he was ill-treated on return
according to among others the New York-based group Human Rights
Watch.
Last month, the government ordered that the Swedish Migration
Board should also allow Agiza to renew his application for asylum.
Agiza was also expected to present demands for compensation, and
the chancellor of justice was expected to make his decision when he
had also reviewed Agiza's application.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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