COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A judge has ruled that a former Somalia military colonel who once lived in Ohio is responsible for the torture of a human rights advocate.
A 2010 lawsuit alleged the former colonel and Columbus resident, Abdi Aden Magan (AHB'-dee AH'-den MAY'-gehn), oversaw the detention and torture of the human rights advocate in Somalia in 1988.
The advocate, Abukar Hassan Ahmed (AB'-oo-kahr hah-SAHN' AHK'-mehd), says in a lawsuit against Magan that the three months of torture he endured left him with permanent disabilities.
Federal judge George Smith in Columbus ruled in Ahmed's favor Tuesday, saying the colonel hadn't presented any evidence he took steps to prevent his subordinates from engaging in human rights abuses.
Magan's attorney had not seen Tuesday's ruling and could not immediately comment.
