Heart Procedure For Guantánamo Detainee At The Base

Saifullah A. Paracha, a 59-year-old, who has a history of heart problems, argued that cardiac catheterization is too risky to be handled anywhere but in a cardiac unit. Paracha's attorney argued that Paracha might need emergency heart surgery in case something goes wrong. He requested to be transferred to a hospital in the United States or Pakistan.

Osama bin Laden and Paracha met twice. His attorney argues that this was in hope of landing a television interview. Accusations of making investments for al Qaeda and translating statements for bin Laden or even joining in explosives-smuggling have been denied by Paracha. He lived in the United States for 16 years and is even said to have recommended nuclear weapons be used against U.S. soldiers.

The U.S. military has detained him in Guantánamo Bay. The legal documents presented by his attorney's state that there would be diplomatic consequences in Pakistan if Paracha died and have asked for the detainee to be transferred to a civilian hospital for medical treatment.

A federal judge turned down the ruling on the basis of the fact that the procedure had been carried out earlier in 2003 and was successful. Also the availability of medical equipment and personnel makes is unnecessary take a security risk by allowing Paracha's treatment outside the facility.

The Procedure involved is called Cardiac catheterization and is used to detect blockages in the arteries. The process is the insertion of a plastic tube into the vein such that it slides into the heart or the nearby coronary arteries where the blood pressure and the oxygen levels are measured.

In the ruling, Us District Judge Paul L. Friedman added that the government regularly decided the best ways to treat civilian prisoners in the Country and that judges rarely intervened in this. In case Paracha decides not to be treated, it is his choice; depending on his consent the doctor at Guantánamo Bay would treat him.