Staff Writer
United States Marine
Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi was released on October 31 after spending seven months
in a Mexican prison for violating Mexico’s strict gun laws. Sgt. Tahmooressi
took a wrong turn towards Mexico with three loaded guns in his car and was
unable to turn around before crossing the border on March 31. He was later
arrested.
After being arrested,
Sgt. Tahmooressi was held in a Tijuana jail where, according to his mother,
Jill Tahmooressi, the other inmates threatened to “rape, torture, and murder”
him. On his first night in Tijuana, Sgt. Tahmooressi talked to his mother on
the phone and said, “Mom, I need to let you know, that I’m not gonna make it
through the night.” In May, the U.S. government was able to get Sgt.
Tahmooressi moved to a federal prison in Tecate, where he was held in solitary confinement
for his own protection. While in solitary, he was allowed to have his Bible and
one book, and had nothing he could use to exercise. He tried to exercise with
the bucket that he used to wash his clothes, but fell and thought he had broken
his arm.
Sgt. Tahmooressi had
been diagnosed with PTSD less than 20 days earlier and was moving to San Diego
to receive treatment. When he accidentally crossed the border, he had all his
belongings in his truck, including his three U.S.-registered firearms. During
his time in Mexico, both an American psychiatrist and a Mexican psychiatrist
confirmed Sgt. Tahmooressi’s PTSD diagnosis.
During Sgt.
Tahmooressi’s incarceration, the House Foreign Affairs Committee urged
President Obama to speak to President Neitro of Mexico on behalf of the
sergeant. When Obama called Neitro, it is reported by committee officials that
Sgt. Tahmooressi wasn’t mentioned.
Fox News anchor Greta
Van Susteren has been instrumental in bringing attention to the incident, along
with Chairman Ed Royce and Rep. Matt Salmon of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee, Lt. Cmdr. Montel Williams, and Jill Tahmooressi.
Sgt. Tahmooressi was
released on humanitarian grounds because of his PTSD, allowing him to return to
the United States and begin treatment. He has said that he wants to
“decompress” and spend time with his family.
In a recent interview
with Van Susteren, Sgt. Tahmooressi said, “I’m going to be okay, everyone. I’ll
be just fine, I promise.”
