HomeWorldPakistanUS sends Algerian home from Guantanamo Bay after 5-year delay

US sends Algerian home from Guantanamo Bay after 5-year delay

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba – USA military on Saturday delivered to Algiers a prisoner whose repatriation from Guantanamo Bay was arranged under the Obama administration but then delayed for five years.

prisoner Sufyan Barhumi, aged 48, was captured in Pakistan in March 2002 and soon taken to Guantanamo Bay, where he never faced trial. He was notified in August 2016 that he is eligible for release, but his case was delayed by the Trump administration policy what has stopped transfers.

The transfer was second this year and third after President Biden took office with in goal of closure of Guantanamo. Now 37 detainees remain, including 18 who approved for release into custody of another country if US diplomats can negotiate secure deals for them to go.

“The United States values ​​the readiness of Algeria and other partners in support ongoing U.S. efforts towards a deliberate and thorough process focused on responsible reduction of detainee population and eventually closing of the Guantanamo Bay facility,” the Pentagon said. in statement on Saturday.

Mr. Barhumi’s lawyer, Shayana Kadidal of Centre for constitutional rights, described prisoner because one of Most Amenable Guantanamo Bay Prisoners, Male who helped relieve tensions between rebellious or frustrated prisoners and army guards who usually serves nine months tours of duty.

In 2017 on start of Trump freeze, Mr Kadidal said, Mr Barhumi interrupted lawyer’s explanation of in politics of his case, saying: “It’s not you who decides when I leave it placeand it’s not politics. This is God. He decides when I go. So I’m fine with his decision”.

US officials planned to transfer Mr. Barhumi in March, but mission was delayed by logistics and then bad weather, which made the cargo plane prisoner it was connected for Algeria turn back.

Mr Barhumi father died while he was in detention. After the reunion with his family he will become his sick mother caretaker, Mr. Kadidal said. He should to be home in lots of of time for his younger brother’s wedding is year in Algeria.

Algeria usually occupied men return from Guantanamo for short period of interrogation. Typical Security Measures with The United States restricts their travel for some years.

The Department of Defense notified Congress in January of transfer plan of Mr. Barhumi, according to government officials with knowledge of process in accordance with legal requirements of 30 days notice. Congress simultaneously received notification of diplomatic and security measures for repatriation to Saudi Arabia of Mohammed al-Qahtani, mentally ill prisoner who suspected of be the alleged 20th hijacker in September 11 attacks – and was repatriated to the United States military on March 7th.

first broadcast of Biden administration took place in July, when the United States repatriated a Moroccan whose transfer was also was arranged in at the end of 2016 by the State Department special envoy, Lee Woloski. More likely than complete this deal, the Trump administration closed office of in special envoy for closing of Guantanamo that was not restored by Mr. Biden secretary of State, Anthony J. Blinken.

For a while, military prosecutors considered Mr. Barhumi as a candidate for the trial of a bomb-making instructor in a safe house in Punjab region of Pakistan. They are abandoned However, this case came after a civil court ruled that the Pentagon did not have the authority to bring charges of tort. of “providing material support terrorism” as war crime. Mr Kadidal said that in time, government realized that he had no evidence support a business.

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Derrick Santistevan
Derrick Santistevan
Derrick is the Researcher at World Weekly News. He tries to find the latest things going around in our world and share it with our readers.

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