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'I hope the Indian government identifies with him'

The lawyer for one of the two Indian men detained after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks says his client was overpunished, and hopes the Indian government will be lenient towards him when he returns home.

Syed Gul Mohammad Shah, 35, was sentenced August 16 to a year and one day in prison for credit card fraud, after authorities found he had no link to terrorism.

But in the meantime he has suffered physically and mentally, says his attorney Lawrence Feitell.

Feitell said Shah (originally identified as Ayub Ali Khan) was constantly abused by his captors.

"He was slapped, kicked and savagely beaten," Feitell explained. "He was cursed at, vilified for being Muslim, his food was often destroyed before he could eat it, he was kept in small cells, wasn't allowed to sleep… sometimes I thought he would die in prison."

In jail, Shah lost 25 pounds, and his hair and teeth are falling out. He has also complained to him of loss of eyesight and experiencing chest pains.

Feitell worried about what would happen to Shah when he returned to India, where he is wanted in an investigation into his finances and falsifying his passport.

"I hope the Indian government identifies with him, and appreciates how one of its own nationals was beaten to a pulp," he said. "I don't think it's justifiable to hold him up for more punishment."

Shah pleaded guilty to credit card fraud in June. He admitted to selling 15 fraudulent credit cards for up to $2,000 each. Along with his prison time, he was ordered to pay restitution of about $415,000.

Shah's friend, Mohammad Azmath, 37, also pleaded guilty to similar charges, and will be sentenced next month.

Feitell admitted Shah had come to regard him as a father figure, and that he himself had a lot of compassion for Shah's family in India.

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