Photographer Bilal Hussein Walks to Freedom

AP Photographer Bilal Hussein

Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein is a free man after having been detained for two years by the U.S. occupying forces military in Iraq.

He was suspected of having links with Iraqi “insurgents” and was also said to be in possession of bomb-making materials. The military had also questioned the photographer’s presence on the scene following the abduction and killing of an Italian, Salvatore Santoro.

But after all was said and done, the Iraqi Judicial Commission said there was no basis for the terrorism-related charges which had been brought against him. The conclusion was a sweeping repudiation of accusations by the U.S. military.

Bilal is now back with his family in Faluja where his 69-year-old mother Taqiya Ahmed expressed gratefulness for his release. “I thank God for Bilal’s release and I hope that all Iraqi detainees will be released,” the mother said.

One of Bilal Hussein’s photographs was part of a package of 20 Associated Press photographs that won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography.

[Via: AP.org]
Photo: FreeBilal.org

Published by Chris Malinao

Chris teaches Lightroom as workflow software to photography students at the FPPF, Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation. He also teaches smartphone photography.