Tomorrow America marks Memorial Day, a time we remember those in uniform who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep us free. The Post believes it’s also a time to remember those who have also served America in some way and are imprisoned or detained abroad. These men include:
- Robert Levinson, retired FBI agent: Levinson went missing in Iran in 2007. For years, the CIA had denied ties, but it recently admitted its responsibility for Levinson and has paid his family millions in damages. Levinson’s whereabouts remain unknown, but photos have surfaced of him in prison garb.
- Amir Hekmati, former Marine: In August 2011, Hekmati was visiting his grandmother in Iran — he has dual US/Iranian citizenship — when he was arrested by the Iranians for spying for the CIA. His life sentence was reduced but he remains in a prisoner of Iran.
- Manny Encarnacion, NYPD officer: Encarnacion was detained at the New Delhi airport this March when security found three bullets he’d accidentally left in his jacket pocket after a visit to the firing range. He was held in India as revenge for the arrest of an Indian diplomat here.The good news is that on Friday an Indian court dropped all charges against him. But Encarnacion remains in India pending the government’s return of his passport.
- Alan Gross, government subcontractor: Gross was working with the US Agency for International Development in Havana, Cuba, to bring equipment to help Cuba’s Jewish community with access to the Internet. He’s been imprisoned since December 2009.
- Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi: The 25-year-old was arrested at the Mexican border in March for having three legal, registered guns. He says he wasn’t intending to bring the weapons to Mexico but ended up at the border by mistake on his way to a Southern California town.
- Shakil Afridi, Pakistani doctor: Though Dr. Afridi is not an American citizen and didn’t serve in uniform, he was instrumental in helping our Navy SEALs hunt down and kill Osama bin Laden. For that, his reward has been a Pakistani prison cell, where he is serving 33 years.
All these men were there when America needed their service. This Memorial Day weekend, let’s not forget that America owes them nothing less than their freedom.