My unwelcome fame at Iraqi terror camp - Al Sarraj (From Your Local Guardian)

My unwelcome fame at Iraqi terror camp - Carshalton prisoner Al Sarraj

3:30pm Thursday 4th February 2010 in Top Stories Exclusive By Julia Kennard

Mr Al Sarraj’s self-imposed isolation was soon punctuated by an unwelcome fame among prisoners.

“People would come up to me and say : ‘Are you Kadhum? I have heard about you. You are from London.’

But his new-found status in the camp was to cause him great pain.

The guards would use him to help translate to patients and he would find it impossible to refuse in case it would cost him further time.

Other prisoners also begged him to fill in 5:10 forms used to request information from the legal department or medical attention.

“They would say ‘please, you are the only one that speaks and writes in English’.

“I helped them, but sometimes I used to hate it.

“I just wanted to be alone and rest so I can concentrate on my family and my work.

“It was better than having any contact and having to deal with everyone else’s problems.”