Jailed marine hearing gives hope to mother
SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – There is a growing optimism that Marine Sergeant Andrew Tahmooressi, who has been languishing in a Mexican Jail will soon be released.
The pleas from a grieving mother were heard again, but this time it happened at a Congressional hearing where members of Congress, and others, expressed outrage that a combat marine is being left behind.
Tahmooressi’s mother Jill, feels like her son has been abandoned since he has been in a Mexican jail for six months. She adds there has been little effort by the Obama administration to get him out.
At the Congressional hearing, she read several messages she’s received from him about threats of rape, torture and execution.
One of the several messages was from April 5th, ” Mom I’m not going to make it through the night. Whatever you do, do not come down here to investigate. Do not come down here to ask questions. You will be killed as well. I need you to go underground.”
Former Marine and Navy Commander Montel Williams has been advocating for the Obama administration to pressure Mexico to send Tahmooressi back home so he can be treated not only for PTSD but for his ordeal in prison.
“To me this is an abomination, six months he didn’t hesitate to say aye, aye, sir to go off and serve, how dare we, how dare we as a nation hesitate to get that young man back,” said Montel Williams.
Dana Rohrabacher said, “This is a travesty that a brave hero has been treated like this. he did his duty, its up to us to do our duty. The President of the U.S. is not doing this.”
The frustration over the Tahmooressi case has become personal for members of Congress from both political parties.
Rep. Duncan D. Hunter (R), said, “He’s earned this attention here today. He’s earned this Congress coming together and this committee holding this, this is what we’re here for.”
Rep. D. Hunter has insisted that President Obama, the Secretary of State, and other high officials of the government are just not interested in fighting for Tahmooressi’s release.
Tahmooressi’s mother said she has not been contacted at any point by President Obama.
The Mexican court heard two psychiatrists, one for the defense, and one for the prosecution. Both agreed Tahmooressi’s PTSD is an issue in the case.
David Shirk at the Institute for Peace and Justice at the University of San Diego said, it is possible that the Mexican government could, and especially the prosecutors, could choose to treat this as a special case.
He added not to jump to conclusions.
“I think we have to recognize this is a very different system than our own, and we don’t want to make any assumptions about where things are headed,” said Shirk.
While the GOP lead Congress has been slow to act, a bill to release Tahmooressi has been languishing in committee since June.
Wednesday hearing was about creating pressure to move the bill forward.
