Moroccan man could sue American government for arbitrary detention

Youssef Karroum, a 34-year old Moroccan, who was held for one week in a US prison as he was crossing the border at Blaine, State of Washington, for suspicions of connection to terrorist groups said he might sue the US administration for compensation.

"It was the worst moment of my life," he told ABC TV channel. US border agents say their computer identified Karroum, who holds a Canadian passport and is living in Surrey (west Canada), as "armed and dangerous." They added that they found nitroglycerin particles in his car. Karroum was held as a material witness in the case of Ahmed Ressam, arrested in the State of Washington last December over suspicions of plotting terrorist acts in the USA.

Eventually, the Moroccan unemployed electrician was cleared of all charges and further analyses found that his car did not contain any explosive particles.

His wife, Laila, said her husband often crosses the US-Canadian borders for shopping. She added that he does not know Rassem. She said the couple bought the Chevrolet Celebrity station wagon car from the Canadian administration. Canadian authorities confirmed that the car belonged to the agriculture department which used it to carry nitrate-based fertilizers.

Karroum's attorney confirmed that his client was cleared of all charges and said his arrest was the result of the hysteria resulting from the arrest of Ressam and other persons in Canada and the USA and of the investigation of terrorist plans.