EL PASO, Texas, 27 June 2004 — An Islamic group called Friday for a federal investigation into an incident at a federal holding facility that left a Jordanian man with a critical head injury.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations said the case of Khalfan Omari, 25, deserves an immediate investigation by the Justice Department. He was being held at a processing center while awaiting deportation to Jordan when he was injured on June 20.
“A thorough investigation is warranted whenever someone suffers mysterious injuries while in the custody of federal authorities,” said Engy Abdelkader, an attorney for the council.
Injuries to Omari’s head later required brain surgery and he has not been able to communicate since. Officials did not release details of his current condition.
Leticia Zamarripa, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman, said her agency is investigating. She said there was no indication Omari was abused by guards.
“The only information we have to go on is what Mr. Omari told staff at the detention center,” Zamarripa said. “He told them he had fallen and hit his head.”
Zamarripa said Omari had been convicted of faking a marriage to a US citizen and lying about his citizenship to immigration authorities. He served a six-month sentence at a detention center in Pecos and arrived on June 17 at the processing center to await deportation.
