7 News Belize

Majid Khan A Belizean?
posted (February 13, 2023)
Majid Khan, he's the former Al-Qaeda terrorist who, one week and a half ago, was freed from Guantanamo Bay after 20 years in US detention and relocated as a free man to a home somewhere in Belize.

But how is Khan settling in? On Friday, an article from the New York Times gave major insight into the former prisoner's thoughts and dreams as he makes this life-altering transition.

And to find out more about that, 7News reached out to Khan's human rights attorney Wells Dixon in New York for a first-hand account of his first few days in Belize. According to Dixon, Khan considered himself Belizean right on arrival.

This is a portrait of Majid Khan from the New York Times, a free man on his first normal day after being released from Guantanamo bay.

It's a day that Khan spent having lunch at what looks like Smokeez restaurant shopping for home goods at Brodies Northern location

And sprucing up his new home with the help of his legal team who had flown down to Belize to help get him acclimatized.

One of those attorneys, seen here helping Khan figure out his brand new iPhone is human rights attorney Wells Dixon. He spoke to 7 News today about that experience and told us a bit about what Belizeans can expect from Majid Khan.

Wells Dixon, Attorney For Majid Khan
"Well, the first few days were I think a bit surreal, certainly for me having only known Mr Khan down in Guantanamo and it seemed very natural, as well, Mr. Khan is Belizean this is the attitude and mindset that he has adopted since he stepped off of the aeroplane from Guantanamo, I'm Belizean and I am going to adapt myself and my conduct to Belizean culture. This is his mindset and it is going to take him time to learn and to understand and to assimilate to Belizean culture but you know he has a lot of advantages, he is an English speaker, he looks Belizean and you know he has a kind and a warm and a generous personality."

And while Khan may be acclimatizing and even thriving in his new Belizean home, Belizeans naturally have concerns about exactly where he has been placed because some fear his former Al Qaeda fighters may seek revenge after he cooperated with the US.

Jules Vasquez:
"That those in his past may come back for him, putting the entire community at risk."

Wells Dixon, Attorney For Majid Khan
"I would say two things in response to that, the first is, unfortunately, some people will use that concern for political advantage and that is the reality that happens here in the United States as well and that is a fact of life as I would say and again, to those people I would say give Mr. Khan a chance, trust in Belizean authorities who determined that there would be no such threats to the people of Belize and I think for others I understand the concerns, I would have very similar concerns if Mr. Khan were re-settled in my neighbourhood but I would also have confidence in what the Belizean government has said about him and about the safety and security of the people of Belize and I think it is important as well that Mr Khan's security and his well-being is a national security priority for the United States."

But if you don't either the Belizean police or the Americans, Dixon invites you to trust in the good heart of what he calls a changed man, this morning he told us that when Khan learned that he would get a new chance at life he made a firm decision not to look back.

Wells Dixon, Attorney For Majid Khan
"I asked him, about the transfer from Guantanamo, and I asked him about the flight out of Guantanamo to Belize and I asked him, I said when you took off from Guantanamo, were you able to look out the window of the plane and to see the prison camps beneath you? And he said well ,it was dark outside, it was still night time and I said but were you able to look down, to see the lights on the prison that is what he said to me. He said to me I wasn't thinking about that, I was thinking about the future. I was thinking about what my life would be like in Belize and he said I'm really done with the past, I'm looking into the future. I have so many things that I want to do in the future. I have so much lost time to make up for. That's what I am focus on. That's what he said to me."

Khan in a comment to Channel 7 has said that he is, quote: "Proud and happy to be in Belize," and at this present moment asks for privacy as he attempts to re-settle himself and his family into their new Belizean home.

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