From Al-Ghizzawi Request

Request regarding Mr. Al-GHIZZAWI
February 13, 2007

From H. Candace Gorman
XXXX XXXXX
Chicago Il. 60605

I am requesting that Mr. Al-Ghizzawi (ISN 654) be moved out of Camp 6 and preferably into either camp 1 or camp 3. The reason for this request is related to Mr. Al-Ghizzawi’s health. We can agree to disagree about Mr. Al-Ghizzawi’s medical condition and need for medical care and I will not go into those factors in this request. We can also agree to disagree about whether Mr. Al-Ghizzawi even belongs in Guantánamo… (since it took two CSRT’s to find him an enemy combatant)… but I will not go into those factors in this request either.

Mr. Al-Ghizzawi is very sensitive to cold. I believe he is more sensitive to cold than the average person and I believe that the move to Camp 6 has been detrimental to his physical well being because of the air conditioning in camp 6. The government has admitted that Mr. Al-Ghizzawi suffers from hepatitis B and perhaps the extreme sensitivity to cold is related to that condition (I am checking on that). Mr. Al-Ghizzawi has complained of being constantly cold since being moved to camp 6. Mr. Al-Ghizzawi complains that his entire body aches and his gums are swollen and painful (he showed me his gums and they look awful).

I believe a lot of his new bodily discomfort stems from the fact that he is trying so hard to get into positions where he can keep his body as warm as possible. When I met with him the morning of February 13, 2007 he preferred to crouch on the floor, huddling himself up against the wall. He was often clenching his mouth, in reaction to the cold. Mr. Al-Ghizzawi also finds it difficult to eat cold foods or drink cold liquids (that predates his move to Camp 6). In my visits with him in the past he always waited several hours for the water or juice that I brought with me to “warm up”. Mr. Al-Ghizzawi stated that in his former cell he would usually put the juice or fruit that was cold in the window for a few minutes to warm up… he can no longer do that in camp 6.

Now he must either eat the cold fruit and cold drinks (which he finds very difficult) or not eat or drink those at all….they do not warm up over time because it is always cold. Lastly, even what is supposed to be warm food is often cold when it arrives at his cell. The air conditioning and the wait until meals are delivered make it inevitable that the meals are cold by the time Mr. Al-Ghizzawi receives it.