Moazzam Begg, former Guantanamo Bay detainee, is set to go back to the now closed suspected terrorist prison camp. But this time his stay will be purely virtual, on the Xbox 360.
As strange as it might sound, a new computer game is being developed based upon life in Guantanamo Bay according to reports. 41 year old Brit Begg spent the best part of two years there, detained as a terror suspect. He was eventually released without charge.
Game play will not, however, revolve around lengthy political campaigning, nor indeed water boarding or other torture activity. There is no word on whether players will be able to adopt the role of a soldier and take photographs of prisoners being abused either. All that is clear so far is that players will be able to shoot their way out of Guantanamo Bay on the Xbox.
The former prisoner does have a financial stake in the game, although he has stated that no money has yet exchanged hands. Begg says "My first response was hesitation - I was worried that it might trivialise my experience. I'm involved to make sure it is as true to life as possible."
Zarrar Chishtim, director of T-Enterprise which is developing the game, says that players will
"start with the orange boiler suit, cuffs and earmuffs" and is at pains to point out that no British or US Army soldiers get killed, only mercenaries hired by the private security outfit which has bought the prison camp in the game version recent history. Somehow, I am not sure that will be enough to keep concerned parents of game-playing kids happy this time.
