Mohamedou Ould Slahi

“One of the hardest things to do is to tell an untruthful story and maintain it, and that is exactly where I was stuck.”

“I'm not looking to get even with anyone in my life.”

“I got used to interrogators asking me the same things. Before the interrogator even moves his lips I knew his questions, and as soon as he or she started to talk I turned my 'tape' on.”

“So, I'm a big believer in democracy and human rights.”

“Detainees were not allowed to talk to each other, but we enjoyed looking at each other. The punishment for talking was hanging the detainee by his hands with the feet barely touching the ground.”

“English accepts more curses than any other language, and I soon learned to curse with the commoners.”

“Everyone who tortured me and kidnapped me, who imprisoned me, I have forgiven everyone. And I wish them, from the bottom of my heart, the best of lives.”

“I first came into the radar of the U.S. intelligence when I received a call from my cousin Mahfouz. It was 1999. He wanted me to help him transfer some money to his sick father. And he called me from the phone of UBL.”

“I have only written what I experienced, what I saw, what I learned first-hand.”

“Actually, I'm a very optimistic person.”

“I'm sure if there is a debate, Guantanamo Bay must be closed. And it should be closed, because it does not belong in a democracy.”

“I don't have a problem with black people - half my country is black people!”

“But when you embrace your weakness, that's when you become strong.”

“But the problem is that you cannot just admit to something you haven't done; you need to deliver the details, which you can't when you haven't done anything. It's not just, Yes, I did!' No, it doesn't work that way: you have to make up a complete story that makes sense to the dumbest dummies.”

“It is the taste of helplessness when you see your beloved fading away like a dream and you cannot help him.”

“I told the people before they tortured me, please, don't torture me. I didn't do anything. They say, we have to torture you very much. Then when they tortured me, I told them everything they want to hear. I signed confession. That said, the ball was in their court. You know, I very much surrender to my lot.”

“Gitmo is everywhere in the world. We need to raise awareness of illegal prisons in Middle East, Asia, and Africa. This needs to be brought to the attention of the U.N. This needs to stop.”

“There is no war between Muslims and Americans. There is no war between Americans and the poor people in the world. There is only a war between people on the top who have their own agenda.”

“Many nights I wake up not able to breathe. I think I'm in Guantanamo Bay. I'm crying and shouting and making it very hard for the people that are with me in the room to sleep.”