Posted on 04/29/2003 1:43:36 PM PDT by El Conservador
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An Iraqi lawyer who helped the U.S. military find and rescue Army Pfc Jessica Lynch, who was held prisoner in a hospital in Iraq (news - web sites), has been granted asylum in the United States, officials said on Tuesday.
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Mohammed Odeh al Rehaief, his wife and their daughter were granted asylum by the U.S. government on Monday.
Al Rehaief reportedly saw then 19-year-old Lynch, who had been wounded and captured in an ambush in the early days of the U.S. invasion, lying bandaged in a hospital bed in Nassiriya. He saw an Iraqi security agent slap the young soldier as she lay in bed, and decided to go for help.
The lawyer reportedly walked several miles to reach U.S. Marines, and drew a map to help the rescue team find Lynch. U.S. special forces staged a dramatic night-time raid on the Nassiriya hospital on April 1 and whisked the badly injured Lynch to safety.
"Mr. al Rehaief should know that Americans are grateful for his bravery and for his compassion. The Iraqi people should know that America stands beside him," Ridge said in a speech.
"He saw one of our soldiers being abused. He put his own life at risk -- we're grateful he did what he did."
After the rescue, the U.S. military took al Rehaief and his family to a refugee center then flew them to the United States, where they applied for asylum.
Successful asylum seekers must show a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, ethnicity or political opinion. A U.S. official said al Rehaief "met the criteria."
Al Rehaief, who was granted asylum in Arlington, Virginia, will be entitled to live and work in the United States and can apply for U.S. citizenship, an official said.
Ridge said al Rehaief and his family had plans to meet with Lynch, who is still being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington for multiple injuries including two broken legs, a broken arm, a broken foot and ankle and a fractured disc in her lower back.
Now we can wait to hear from the Islamophobes to whine about letting more Muslims immigrate here.....grrrrr.
-Eric
He's just the kind of lawyer America needs more of.
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