ATLANTA — The family of George Glezmann, an Atlanta man wrongfully detained in Afghanistan by the Taliban, is urging President Joe Biden to meet with them to discuss efforts for his release.
George Taylor, a former federal agent and family representative, told Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne that federal officials have brought Glezmann’s case to President Biden’s attention.
However, they have not received any response about a potential meeting.
“We have requested on several occasions meeting with President Biden,” Taylor said. “To this day, we have not received any type of correspondence yes they will do a meeting or no they will not.”
Glezmann has been detained by the Taliban since December 2022, shortly after arriving as a tourist in Afghanistan.
Taylor confirmed that the U.S. State Department Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs has been negotiating with the Taliban for his release.
Taylor suggested that the Taliban might be seeking a swap involving Guantanamo detainee Muhammad Rahim.
“I believe that’s what they’re seeking,” Taylor said.
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Both he and the family’s pro bono attorney, Dennis Fitzpatrick, have participated in White House meetings, but officials have neither confirmed nor denied this request.
A November 2023 government document indicates that a Periodic Review Board found Rahim’s continued detention “remains necessary to protect against a continuing significant threat to the national security of the United States.”
James Connell, Rahim’s lawyer, disputes this.
“He’s not a threat to the United States. He’s almost 60 years old. He’s in poor health,” Connell said.
Connell argued that many of the allegations against Rahim were based on statements obtained under torture.
“The U.S. government, if they actually had some kind of a case against Muhammad Rahim, would have charged him after 16 years,” Connell said.
Connell also mentioned that he has not been contacted about a prisoner swap.
Federal law requires Rahim to be cleared by the Periodic Review Board before any release, with his next review scheduled for December.
“It would be extraordinary without another hearing,” Connell said regarding the possibility of Rahim being cleared for release.
A State Department spokesman declined to provide further details, saying, “We aren’t going to discuss our negotiations in public.”
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