Chapter 75
Salamir looked particularly uncomfortable. He was dressed in a suit, which fitted him perfectly but seemed to be the prime reason for his discomfort. Sitting in the witness chair, he looked definitely ill at ease. He had spent a day with Khalid and Billycan answering numerous questions regarding their father’s involvement in the CIA’s operation in West Africa. From the little Salamir knew; Billycan and Khalid managed to re-construct the chain of events that eventually led Khalid to be embroiled in the Sadir Affair.
Billycan rose from his chair and approached the witness. He knew how frightened Salamir was. He was going to treat him with kid gloves.
“Mr. Sahab, I would like first to thank you for travelling from your home in Nouakchott all the way to Washington to attend this trial.”
“De rien, Monsieur Billycan,” Salamir replied in Mauritania’s second language—French.
“Let the record show that Mr. Sahab acknowledged the gratefulness of this court for his attendance. Now, Mr. Sahab, I’d like you to turn your attention to the time you first met Madame Kartz. When was this exactly?”
“My brother bring her down from Paris in June of two years past, Monsieur Billycan. I seen her first time then. I am sorry, my English not very good, Monsieur.”
“Don’t apologize, Mr. Sahab. You’re doing very well. So, Madame Kartz came down from Paris in June two years ago and do you know why she came down to visit?”
“My brother...”
Billycan raised a hand. “I apologize, Mr. Sahab, but when you say “my brother”, do you mean Prince Khalid Saif Al-Fadir?”
“Yes, Prince Khalid Sheik Sahab Saif Al-Fadir, yes.” Judge Silverman looked down at the court reporter to see if she got the whole name in the record. He actually had had difficulty distinguishing all of the syllables himself. Receiving an affirmative nod from the young woman, Silverman gestured to Billycan to proceed, “Go ahead, Mr. Billycan.”
These interruptions did nothing to calm the witness down. He seemed more agitated as each minute passed. Besides which, the silence in the courtroom was utterly oppressive.
Billycan looked kindly at Salamir and asked again the reason for Madame Kartz’s visit to Mauritania.
“My brother, Prince Khalid, said Madame Kartz attack in Paris and we need take her to the desert.”
“You mean travel through the desert with Madame Kartz?”
“Yes, yes. We take her with caravan and protect her from criminals.”
“Good. How long did you stay in the desert with Madame Kartz?”
“Maybe week, maybe less. Yes, maybe week.”
“And when you arrived at Nbak in the Sahel, south of the Sahara, what did you do then?”
“Caravan say goodbye to Madame Kartz and I give her knife for protection.”
That was Billycan’s cue. He went to the evidence table and took the knife to Salamir. His reaction was instantaneous. Seeing it, Salamir wanted to grab it. Billycan again held up a hand and moved the knife out of reach. “I am sorry; Mr. Sahab, but you cannot touch the knife. You can only look at it and tell me if it is the knife you gave Madame Kartz. Please.”
He held the knife in its plastic envelope closer to Salamir for him to look at it.
“Yes, it is knife I make for her. Yes, it my work.”
“Thank you, Mr. Sahab. Can you also tell us why this knife is so special to you?”
“Yes, yes—this is very old way to make knife. For protection. Not an arm...”
“You mean a weapon?”
“Yes... It for protection. Very sharp and straight—not bow like knife to fight.”
“Thank you, Mr. Sahab. That was very good and helpful. Just one more question; did you see Madame Kartz again after she left the caravan?”
Salamir shook his head. “No, Monsieur Billycan, I never seen our lady again.”
Billycan had heard it, but he needed to confirm if what he heard was correct. He swung on his heels and returned to the witness after replacing the knife on the evidence table. “Did you say, ‘our lady’? And why did you say that?”
“Madame Kartz is lady for us. She come with us and accept my brother invitation to come to the desert, to water méhari and care for animals, same in Qur’an.”
Looking at the jury’s questioning faces, Billycan knew that none of the members had understood what Salamir had just described. The US Attorney turned to face Silverman. “Your Honour, may I be permitted to explain for the court what Mr. Sahab described just now?”
“Yes, Mr. Billycan, the court will be very interested to hear this. But, I urge you to be as brief as possible and not waste the court’s time with your explanation.”
“Yes, Your Honour.” He turned and took a few steps toward the jury. “Ladies and Gentlemen, you heard the witness tell you that Ms. Kartz accepted Prince Khalid’s invitation to travel to the Sahara Desert with him and to “water the méhari and care for the animals.” Most of the jurors nodded. “Mr. Sahab and his brother, Prince Khalid, are Touaregs, which means they were born in a tribe of the desert that ancestrally has broken away from mainstream Islamic customs and have retained the original version of the Koran. According to the words of Mohammed in the Koran, women are to be respected but have to perform numerous duties for the tribe and during a caravan’s travel. One of the duties is for the women to water and feed the méhari, which is a camel. The animal is taller than the usual beast you see in the zoo and has a longer stride. In the Koran, when a woman is invited to join the tribe, she is asked (not ordered as some of you may think) to water and feed the méhari so to demonstrate to the tribe that she will participate in the chores. In this instance, it is important for you to understand that Ms. Kartz was not kidnapped or forced to accompany the caravan. She accepted to be part of the Touaregs’ day to day life.”
Seeing that he finished with his explanation, and as the US Attorney returned his attention to a befuddled Salamir, Silverman said, “Thank you, Mr. Billycan. Please proceed.”
“Thank you, Your Honour.” He approached the witness again. “Mr. Sahab, I thank you again for your patience. I will not ask you anymore questions now, but my colleague, Mr. Simmons may have questions for you.”
Salamir nodded and appeared a little more relaxed, although the gaze he shot in Simmons’s direction and the look he threw at Sadir were not the most amicable Billycan had ever observed. He knew Salamir, if allowed, would have throttled the accused and killed him right there and then.
Billycan turned to Silverman. “I have no more questions for this witness at this time, Your Honour, but would like to reserve the right to call him again to the stand at a later date.”
“So noted, Mr. Billycan. Mr. Simmons, your witness.”
“I have no question for this witness at this time, but would like to reserve the right to cross examine Mr. Sahab’s testimony later.”
“Very well then. Mr. Sahab, you may step down.” Salamir looked up at the judge, visibly surprised that he didn’t have to stay any longer on the stand or answer any more questions. He hesitated, stepped down and stopped by the defendant’s table. “رحمه الله على روحك, May Allah have mercy on your soul,” he said and then went out of the courtroom quickly, straight to Khalid’s side as he passed the door.
“Don’t talk now, Salamir,” were Khalid’s first words to him in Arabic. “Come and sit down with us.” He indicated a bench where Uncle Abdullah was sitting, his arms crossed over his chest. “We will talk when we return to the hotel.”
Salamir nodded and went to sit by his uncle, who smiled at him. “I am sure you did very well, Salamir. I know Allah guided your steps,” Uncle Abdullah said reassuringly. “It will be Khalid’s turn soon, and we will stay with Mr. Gilford here for a while.” He raised his eyes to Mark who had accompanied the trio to court that morning. Leaning against the wall across from the bench, the three men’s interactions intrigued Mark. Uncle Abdullah was like the soul of the family; he behaved kindly but always directed his offspring fi
rmly to do the proper thing in any circumstances. As for Khalid, he was a masterful figure and distributed his kindness or care sparsely.