Wesam al-Delaema

Who is Wesam al-Delaema?

Wesam al-Delaema, also known as Wesam Khalaf Chayed Delaeme, born in Fallujah 15 February 1973, is an Iraqi Dutch citizen accused by the United States Department of Justice of conspiring to kill Americans in Iraq.

Wesam al Delaema came to Europe in 1993 and applied for asylum in Greece. This was refused and he was expelled. Late 1993 he applied for asylum in the Netherlands, not revealing his earlier attempt in Greece. Granted asylum in the Netherlands in 2001, he was working as a hair dresser. Wesam al Delaema took part in an anti-American rally in Amsterdam where he burned his hand trying to set fire to a flag.

His claim to be a political refugee did not keep him from travelling back to Iraq several times, and marrying his first cousin Zina. During a 2003 trip, supposedly for a wedding, he made a movie called Warriers of Fallujah. This film showed an insurgency group planting bombs boasting of planning on killing American soldiers. In the movie, al Delaema is seen handling a road-side bomb and assisting digging it in. Later, in his defense, Wesal al Delaema would say the movie was 'a journalistic portrait'.

In May 2005, Dutch police raided his house in Amersfoort. Prosecution was started but stopped when the USA asked for his extradition for conspiracy to use explosives against American Soldiers. On October 16, 2006 the court decided he could be extradited. Wesam al Delaema appealed and the appellate court confirmed the district courts decision for extradition on December 19, 2006. Al Delaema was transferred to the USA on January 28, 2007. He was arraigned on January 29, 2007. Al Delaema pled guilty in Federal Court in Washington D.C.on February 26, 2009 and was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment. Additionally, while al Delaema was incarcerated in the DC jail, he participated in the beating of a prison guard, kicking the guard until he was unconscious. Al Delaema also pled guilty to this additional charge and received a separate prison sentence.