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WASHINGTON, June 12, 2003 (Reuters) - A U.S. immigration judge in San Diego ordered the deportation of a former Somali military judge who is accused of human rights abuses, immigration officials said on Thursday.
Abdi Ali Nur Mohamed, known as "Judge Nur," served as a judge while military ruler Mohammed Siad Barre was in power in Somalia.
"Mohamed is alleged to have assisted in the execution of innocent civilians in and near the city of Hargeisa, Somalia," the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement.
Mohamed accepted the deportation order and is currently in government custody, according to the statement. A bureau spokeswoman said she could not comment on how long Mohamed had been in the United States or under what immigration status.
"This investigation demonstrates that (the bureau) and the Department of Homeland Security will not allow this country to be a safe haven for human rights abusers," said Michael Garcia, acting director of the bureau. "A top priority at (the bureau) is the investigation and removal of those who commit these heinous crimes."
The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which was created after the Immigration and Naturalization Service was disbanded, has recently created a specialized human rights violators office within its investigations division. Its mission is to identify, investigate and assist in the removal of human rights abusers from the United States.
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