document: Judge : Ex-Somali leader in US can be questioned under oath in suit alleging rights abuses ALEXANDRIA , Va. - A judge ruled Friday that a former Somali prime minister who has been living quietly in the U.S. for the last 14 years can be questioned under oath in a federal lawsuit alleging he oversaw war crimes and other abuses against his own people more than a quarter century ago . U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema denied a motion to dismiss the suit against Mohamed Ali Samantar , who was Somalia 's defense minister , and later prime minister , in the 1980s under the regime of dictator Siad Barre . The suit against Samantar , who now lives in Fairfax , was first filed in 2004 , alleging that he oversaw abuses committed as part of the government 's campaign of repression against the Isaaq clan in the northern part of the country . The case has languished in the courts for nearly seven years . Brinkema dismissed the case in 2007 , ruling that Samantar was entitled to immunity . But the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the case . And earlier this year the State Department , in a rare move , recommended to the judge that Samantar should not receive immunity , in large part because there is no longer a recognized central government in Somalia that can request immunity on Samantar 's behalf . Following Brinkema 's ruling on Friday allowing the case to proceed , Samantar 's accusers will for the first time be able to question him in a deposition about alleged abuses , including killings and torture , against the Isaaq clan . '' `` This is a great day for justice , '' '' said Natasha Fain , a lawyer with the San Francisco-based Center for Justice and Accountability , which is representing the plaintiffs . '' `` For all this time the defendant has been saying he should n't even have to answer his accusers in court . '' '' One of the plaintiffs , Aziz M. Deria of Bellevue , Wash. , who alleges that his father and other family members were killed by forces under Samantar 's direction , flew across the country to attend Friday 's hearing . He has traveled to Somalia several times to document abuses that occurred there . '' `` I really want this guy to answer our questions , '' '' said Deria , who acknowledged that efforts to hold Samantar accountable for his actions are not universally well received among the Somali community . '' `` Back home , authority figures are considered above the law . '' '' Joseph Peter Drennan , Samantar 's lawyer , argued Friday that the case should be tossed out for several reasons , including an expiration of the statute of limitations . He also said the courts should not wade into what he argues is essentially a political dispute . Samantar has denied any wrongdoing and did not attend Friday 's hearing , though many of his family members did .
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abstractive_keyphrases: us district judge leonie brinkema friday's samantar's direction