Issam Abdel-Tawab Abdel Alim (عصام عبدالتواب عبدالعليم) was a member of al-Jihad convicted in Egypt's Returnees from Albania case. He was the only member extradited from Bulgaria, following his capture by the CIA in Sofia in July 1998.^[1][2] He was one of 14 people subjected to extraordinary rendition by the CIA prior to the 2001 declaration of a War on Terror.^[3]

During his interrogations, he alleged he was frequently tortured; his genitals were repeatedly electrocuted and his right arm incapacitated after being the subject of a "sharpening tool".^[4]

At trial, he described how the group began training its recruits in Yemen in 1990, where they were schooled in Sharia, political history of militant Islamic movements, surveillance techniques and document forgery.^[5] He also noted that he had met Muhammad al-Zawahiri in the country.^[6]

Held incommunicado from his arrest on July 13 until September 12, he was sentenced to either 10 or 15 years' imprisonment.^[7]