A former Uber driver and Somali military officer has been charged with war crimes. exiled The announcement was made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement four days before Christmas.
Yusuf Abdi Ali, 71, was a high-ranking military officer in Somalia during the country's dictatorship from 1987 to 1989. Ali, who was accused of overseeing extrajudicial killings, torture and arbitrary detention, was later discovered driving for Uber and Lyft. Suburbs of Virginia in 2019.
“While justice was delayed in this case, we ultimately prevailed.”
Tuesday, ICE said Ali was deported in February after a Justice Department immigration judge found that he had engaged in torture and aided in extrajudicial killings while serving in the Somali National Army.
“At the time, the Somali National Army committed numerous serious human rights violations against civilians, including the arbitrary arrest and execution of suspected political opponents, the burning down of entire towns, the illegal use of landmines, and the destruction of water reservoirs. ” read the ICE statement.
CNN had reported Ali said he worked for Uber and Lyft to criticize their lax policies on hiring drivers. Ali was listed as an Uber Pro Diamond driver with a 4.89 rating at the time, according to the report. After the report was published, he was kicked out of Uber.
The report cited witness statements accusing Mr. Ali, who is of Somali origin, of the heinous crime.
“Two men were captured and tied to a tree. They poured oil on them and burned them alive. I saw it with my own eyes. I cut up their bodies,” said an eyewitness. one of them said.
“He grabbed my brother. He tied him to a military vehicle and dragged him to the back. He chopped him up,” said another witness. That's how he died. ”
Ali denied the charges at the time.
“The United States is not a safe haven for those who commit human rights abuses, and we will continue our efforts to seek justice for the victims of these crimes,” said ICE Deputy Director Russell Hott. “While justice was delayed in this case, we ultimately prevailed.”
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