Brima Kanu v. Eric Holder, Jr.

MEMORANDUM

Brima Kanu, a native and citizen of Sierra Leone, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (“BIA”) order dismissing his appeal from an immigration judge’s (“IJ”) decision denying his application for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252 . We review for substantial evidence the agency’s factual findings. Zehatye v., Gonzales, 458 F.3d 1182, 1184-85 (9th Cir.2006). We deny the petition for review.

Substantial evidence supports the BIA’s determination that, even if Kanu was credible, he did not establish that he suffered past persecution by Revolutionary United Front rebels on account of a protected ground, including his actual or imputed political opinion. See INS v. Elias-Zacarias, 502 U.S. 478, 483 , 112 S.Ct. 812 , 117 L.Ed.2d 38 (1992) (petitioner who refused to join guerrillas did not establish they would persecute him because of his political opinion rather than because of his refusal to fight with them); Pedro-Mateo v. INS, 224 F.3d 1147, 1150-51 (9th Cir.2000) (petitioner did not show kidnappings and beatings in forced conscription efforts were on •…