Al-Jazeera reports that it is organizing a mass homecoming celebration in Doha for its Sudanese cameraman, Sami El-Haj, who had been held in Guantanamo Bay since 2002. The Qatari-based network has issued an open invitiation to the citizens and residents of the Gulf state to attend a celebration to be held Saturday night in the old garden of Doha's international airport, which will then be followed by another gathering at the station's headquarters.
According to Al-Jazeera's website, the station previously coordinated an event with a Sudanese organization celebrating El-Haj's initial return to Khartoum along with other Sudanese held in the prison. Those in attendence included a representative from the Sudanese government, as well as a number of the station's higher-ups.
El-Haj was arrested near the Pakistani border with Afghanistan in December of 2001 while covering the US war in Afghanistan, arriving in Guantanamo Bay in June of 2002. Upon his arrival back home he has spoken of alleged violations committed against him while at Guantanamo Bay.
This story perhaps puts an interesting spin on the dangers of covering conflict zones. Don't be surprised if you see an Al-Jazeera-produced documentary on El-Haj's story within the next few months.
