ANOTHER prisoner is released from Guantanamo Bay: ‘al-Qaeda operative’ captured in Pakistan in 2002 is transferred to Algeria to leave just 30 prisoners in the infamous US camp in Cuba
- The Algerian national was captured in 2002 during a raid on an al-Qaeda hideout in Pakistan
- He was held in the maximum security prison for more than 20 years without charge
- It is the tenth release since Joe Biden entered the White House
Joe Biden has freed another suspected terrorist from Guantanamo Bay, the US naval base in Cuba used to detain those believed to pose a major security risk to Americans.
Said bin Brahim bin Umran Bakush was captured in 2002 during an attack on an al-Qaeda hideout in Pakistan in the post-9/11 war on terror.
He was reportedly an associate of two senior members of the terror group and attended one of the training camps in Afghanistan in the 1990s.
The Algerian national was set to become an instructor and was accused of being part of a plot to attack the US
The facility has been repeatedly criticized by human rights groups for holding suspected terrorists without charge
The maximum security prison was set up by former President George W. Bush as part of his war on terror.
Bakush, now 72, has been held in the maximum security prison without charge for more than two decades.
Earlier on Thursday, the defense ministry said Bakush’s continued detention was “no longer necessary” and that he has been sent home.
But he will still face “a comprehensive set of security measures,” including monitoring, travel restrictions and information sharing.
His release means he is the tenth inmate to leave since Joe Biden took office in January 2021.
It follows a review board decision that said he no longer posed a threat to the United States.
There were reports that prisoners who went on hunger strike to protest their treatment were force-fed through tubes inserted into their noses
It means there are only 30 prisoners left at Guantanamo, which has been criticized by human rights groups for denying its detainees a fair trial.
Former President George W. Bush set up the detention center in 2002 as part of his administration’s fight against al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups.
Detainees were classified as enemy combatants and denied access to the US justice system.
Of the detainees still being held, 16 are eligible for transfer and three are eligible for a periodic review committee, the Defense Department said in a statement.
It added that nine are involved in ongoing military trials and two have already been convicted.
The Biden administration has repeatedly vowed to close Guantanamo for good; a promise that Barack Obama failed to keep in his two terms in the White House.
DoD officials praised Algeria and other U.S. allies for agreeing to take their nationals home.
They said this is “a deliberate and thorough process aimed at responsibly reducing the number of detainees and ultimately closing the Guantanamo Bay facility.”
An estimated 780 men and boys have been held in the prison since it opened two decades ago.
The vast majority of those prisoners never stood trial or were even charged with a crime.
Former President Barack Obama, who chose Joe Biden as his vice president, had said the US would close Guantanamo Bay during his term, but he fell short of that promise