Engelwood—Mohammed Gulab, who saved the Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell from the Taliban, has successfully fled Afghanistan with his family. Gulab is out of Afghanistan with his family, announced Michael Wildes of Wildes and Weinberg, P.C. last week. Wildes told JLNJ, “He is now out of Afghanistan, a refugee under international law. He is a man who now seeks safe haven to avoid being sent back with his family by any government that would have the gall to put him in harm’s way.”
“I have received word from the U.S. government that Mohammed’s case is currently under review for, what I hope will be the resettlement of him and his family here in the United States,” said Wildes.
Wildes appeared on Fox & Friends, on January 16 to discuss Gulab’s voyage to safe passage in America. As depicted in the film Lone Survivor, Gulab saved Navy SEAL Luttrell, the only man on his team to survive an ambush from the Taliban. It was a direct result of this act of courage and heroism that officer Luttrell was safely returned to the U.S. Now, this Afghan villager is seeking asylum in the United States.
Gulab, an Afghani goat herder, took on the role of protector for wounded Navy SEAL Luttrell. Alone and outnumbered, Luttrell had little chance of survival in an area controlled by the ruthless Taliban. Gulab displayed courage and humanity by rescuing the SEAL, and ensuring his safety back to his US military unit. From that moment on, Gulab was a marked man.
Since he rescued Lutrell, he was shot and he and his family suffered ongoing violent attacks from the Taliban. In recent months, the Governor of the province where Gulab lived ordered his commanders and the Taliban mujahedeens “to kill Gulab” stating: “I hope the suicide bombers or Taliban brothers will fulfill my order…send you to the grave…asking why you did not perform Jihad and why you handed over the Jewish, non-Muslim soldier to the Americans.”
Wildes, a former federal prosecutor and Mayor of Englewood, added: “Our government can take ownership by granting Mr. Gulab and his family refugee status, so that they can resettle permanently in the United States. We will continue to work with the US government on Mr. Gulab’s behalf to embrace this extraordinary hero and provide the safe haven to him and his family. We can never forget his courage and the hospitality he once provided by opening his humble home’s door to our wounded soldier. He should be rewarded with asylum and American citizenship, just as the French showed their gratitude to Lassana Bathily, by awarding him French citizenship.”
