The
United States Department of Defense acknowledges holding approximately one dozen Algerian detainees in Guantanamo.[1]
However an Algerian government press release, on August 21, 2016, said that they had been tracking 28 Algerian captives.[2] Both US and Algerian governments agreed just two captives remained in US custody.
The camp population peaked in early 2004 at approximately 660 before numerous detainees were released. Only nineteen new captives, all "
high value detainees," have been transferred there since the
United States Supreme Court's ruling in Rasul v. Bush (2004), which said that detainees had the habeas corpus right to challenge their detention before an impartial tribunal. As of December 2023[update], 30 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay.[3]
On March 3, 2008 an Algerian delegation visited Guantanamo.[4] At that time DOD reported seventeen Algerian nationals remaining in Guantanamo.
Release negotiations
On June 23, 2008 the Algerian newspaper El Khabar quoted
Farouk Ksentini, the head of Algeria's Advisory Human Rights Commission, about negotiations over the Guantanamo detainees' repatriation.[5] According to Al Khabar, Ksentini reported that the US had insisted on unacceptable conditions unacceptable to Algeria for transfer of the detainees to their country of origin. The article stated that
Sandra Hodgkinson,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Detainee Affairs, had not been telling "the entire truth".
The Department of Defense announced on July 2, 2008 that it had repatriated two Algerians.[6] The Department withheld the Algerians' identities without explanation.
The Department of Defense announced on August 30, 2013 that it had repatriated two additional Algerians, who were identified as
Nabil Hadjarab and
Mutij Sayyab. This would bring the total number of remaining detainees at Guantanamo to 164.
Testified that he traveled to Afghanistan in mid-2001 solely to get married. Testified that he had never heard of
al Qaeda prior to its attacks on 9-11.[29]
Lost fingers during an explosion.[42] He says he lost his finger being trained to clear land mines. US intelligence claims he lost his fingers when receiving military training.
Attended his Tribunal with his legs in bandages, told his Tribunal his wounds were the result of abuse at Guantanamo.[43]
Denied allegations he planned to plant bombs in the USA.[43]
Allegedly spent most of the 1990s supporting himself with petty crime in Europe.[45]
Ahmed claimed he traveled to Afghanistan to buy drugs.[46]
Confirmed serving on the third, support line when the Taliban faced the Northern Alliance, in late 2001.[46]
Alleged to have been smuggled from Afghanistan to Pakistan in December 2001 with
José Padilla, and to have had knowledge of the
dirty bomb that American counter-terrorism resources had once believed Padilla had been involved with.[46]
Worked for a charity alleged to have an association with a terrorist group.[49]
His
Personal Representative refused to leave copies of the OARDEC documents he was required to provide to him in violation of rules for conducting Tribunals.[50]
Testified he was captured in his family home, not a safe house.[50]
Testified that the allegation presented to his Tribunal were all false, and that some were brand new—allegations that had never been asked during his many interrogations.[50]
The
United States Department of Defense acknowledges holding approximately one dozen Algerian detainees in Guantanamo.[1]
However an Algerian government press release, on August 21, 2016, said that they had been tracking 28 Algerian captives.[2] Both US and Algerian governments agreed just two captives remained in US custody.
The camp population peaked in early 2004 at approximately 660 before numerous detainees were released. Only nineteen new captives, all "
high value detainees," have been transferred there since the
United States Supreme Court's ruling in Rasul v. Bush (2004), which said that detainees had the habeas corpus right to challenge their detention before an impartial tribunal. As of December 2023[update], 30 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay.[3]
On March 3, 2008 an Algerian delegation visited Guantanamo.[4] At that time DOD reported seventeen Algerian nationals remaining in Guantanamo.
Release negotiations
On June 23, 2008 the Algerian newspaper El Khabar quoted
Farouk Ksentini, the head of Algeria's Advisory Human Rights Commission, about negotiations over the Guantanamo detainees' repatriation.[5] According to Al Khabar, Ksentini reported that the US had insisted on unacceptable conditions unacceptable to Algeria for transfer of the detainees to their country of origin. The article stated that
Sandra Hodgkinson,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Detainee Affairs, had not been telling "the entire truth".
The Department of Defense announced on July 2, 2008 that it had repatriated two Algerians.[6] The Department withheld the Algerians' identities without explanation.
The Department of Defense announced on August 30, 2013 that it had repatriated two additional Algerians, who were identified as
Nabil Hadjarab and
Mutij Sayyab. This would bring the total number of remaining detainees at Guantanamo to 164.
Testified that he traveled to Afghanistan in mid-2001 solely to get married. Testified that he had never heard of
al Qaeda prior to its attacks on 9-11.[29]
Lost fingers during an explosion.[42] He says he lost his finger being trained to clear land mines. US intelligence claims he lost his fingers when receiving military training.
Attended his Tribunal with his legs in bandages, told his Tribunal his wounds were the result of abuse at Guantanamo.[43]
Denied allegations he planned to plant bombs in the USA.[43]
Allegedly spent most of the 1990s supporting himself with petty crime in Europe.[45]
Ahmed claimed he traveled to Afghanistan to buy drugs.[46]
Confirmed serving on the third, support line when the Taliban faced the Northern Alliance, in late 2001.[46]
Alleged to have been smuggled from Afghanistan to Pakistan in December 2001 with
José Padilla, and to have had knowledge of the
dirty bomb that American counter-terrorism resources had once believed Padilla had been involved with.[46]
Worked for a charity alleged to have an association with a terrorist group.[49]
His
Personal Representative refused to leave copies of the OARDEC documents he was required to provide to him in violation of rules for conducting Tribunals.[50]
Testified he was captured in his family home, not a safe house.[50]
Testified that the allegation presented to his Tribunal were all false, and that some were brand new—allegations that had never been asked during his many interrogations.[50]