MARINE CORPS COMBAT VETERAN SGT. ANDREW TAHMOORESSI REMAINS IN MEXICO PRISON NOW FOR 38 DAYS ~ THE 5TH ESTATE ASIA

Thursday, May 08, 2014

MARINE CORPS COMBAT VETERAN SGT. ANDREW TAHMOORESSI REMAINS IN MEXICO PRISON NOW FOR 38 DAYS

Thursday, May 08, 2014

Sgt. Tahmooressi in dire need of medical attention: THE 5TH ESTATE CALLS ON THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE SGT. TAHMOORESSI ON HUMANITARIAN MEDICAL GROUNDS; please sign this petition for his immediate release

THE 5TH ESTATE
By Robert S. Finnegan
05/08/2014

The nightmare for Marine Corps Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, a decorated two-deployment Afghan combat Veteran began with a missed Highway 5 exit at the border with Mexico in California on April 1, forcing him to continue through the crossing and into Mexico. He was arrested by Mexican authorities before an about-face could be executed and was found in possession of three firearms.

Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi USMC

Sgt. Tahmooressi had just arrived in San Diego for PTSD treatment at a VA hospital there and was unfamiliar with the area. He had all of his possessions with him in his pickup truck, including three licensed firearms legal in America - but not in Mexico without the appropriate permits.

U.S. Lawmakers are now calling on Secretary of State John Kerry to secure his release. Congressman Duncan Hunter - a Marine Corps Reservist himself - is calling for the immediate release of Sgt. Tahmooressi.

Congressman Duncan Hunter

"It is absolutely critical that Andrew's release be achieved as soon as possible, he served his country faithfully as a U.S. Marine and he is owed the same commitment by the U.S. government in return," he said. "The State Department and John Kerry's inability to secure his release proves their incompetence and impotence. We are now going directly to the Mexican Attorney General to secure Andrew's release."

Jill Tahmooressi, Andrew's mother is living the nightmare along with her son, and is distraught not only at his imprisonment but also at his medical condition and the fact that it cannot be treated in Mexico, much less in jail.

"Andrew has been there now for over thirty days and feels completely abandoned by his government. He was just diagnosed with PTSD on March 20th, we are frantic over his condition and the fact that he is not receiving any treatment and worried that his imprisonment will surely worsen his health," she said. "The Mexican authorities must surely realise that they are not equipped to treat a war veteran with PTSD."

Mrs. Tahmooressi was scheduled to speak to the Attorney General of Mexico Jesús Murillo Karam and is hopeful for appositive outcome - the release of her son. She told The 5th Estate today that Andrew is now unshackled, being treated respectfully and is hopeful that due process is moving forward as he received a visit today in La Mesa from a representative from the Baja Attorney General's office. Andrew said he trusts the Mexican judicial process, hopeful that his charges will be dropped and he will be released.

Robert S. Finnegan is a retired former investigative editor for The Jakarta Post, journalism professor, licensed legal investigator in the State of Alaska and Marine Corps NCO. He resides permanently in Indonesia with his spouse, photojournalist Imas Kurniawati.