ICE deports Somali man accused of torture and war crimes who was found driving for Uber in DC

A former Uber driver and Somali military officer accused of war crimes was deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement four days before Christmas.

71-year-old Yusuf Abdi Ali was a high-ranking military officer in Somalia during a dictatorship between 1987 to 1989. While Ali was accused of overseeing extrajudicial killings, torture, and arbitrary detention, he was later found driving for Uber and Lyft in suburban Virginia in 2019.

‘Though justice was delayed in this case, it ultimately prevailed.’

On Tuesday, ICE said that Ali had been deported after a Department of Justice immigration judge found in February that he had engaged in torture and assisted in extrajudicial killings during his time in the Somali National Army.

“The Somali National Army committed numerous serious human rights violations against civilians during that time, including the arbitrary arrest and execution of suspected political opponents, the burning of entire towns, the unlawful use of landmines and the destruction of water reservoirs to target the civilian population,” read a statement from ICE.

CNN had reported that Ali was working for Uber and Lyft in order to criticize their lax policies on hiring drivers. The report said Ali was listed as an “Uber Pro Diamond” driver with a 4.89 rating at the time. He was banned from Uber after the report was published.

The report cited witness statements against Ali from Somalia accusing him of heinous crimes.

“Two men were caught, tied to a tree. Oil was poured on them and they were burnt alive. I saw it with my own eyes. I cut away their remains,” said one witness.

“He caught my brother. He tied him to a military vehicle and dragged him behind,” said another witness. “He shredded him into pieces. That’s how he died.”

Ali had denied the allegations at the time.

“The United States will not be a safe haven for those who commit human rights violations, and we will persist in our efforts to pursue justice for the victims of these crimes,” said Executive Associate Director Russell Hott of ICE. “Though justice was delayed in this case, it ultimately prevailed.”

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