APNewsBreak: Lawsuit says Ohio Somali immigrant ordered torture of human rights attorney

APNewsBreak: Ohio man faces Somali torture claim

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A federal lawsuit alleges that a former Somali military colonel now living in Ohio ordered the detention and torture of a professor and human rights lawyer in Somalia in 1988.

The complaint filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Columbus against Abdi Aden Magan (AHB’-dee AH’-den MAH’-gen) of Columbus says the ordeal permanently crippled the victim.

The lawsuit says Magan authorized the torture of Abukar Hassan Ahmed (ah-BUH’-kahr HAH’-sahn AKH’-med) when Magan was investigations chief of the National Security Service of Somalia.

The suit filed by the San Francisco-based Center for Justice & Accountability seeks unspecified damages from Magan. It alleges he served under Somali dictator Mohamed Siad Barre (SY’-ahd BAHR’-eh).