5 Guantanamo grads released

AFP reports that five more graduates of Guantanamo University have been released, four were sent to Oman while one went to Estonia;

Officials said “a comprehensive review” of the cases was conducted by several US agencies before the men were moved and that all were “unanimously approved for transfer”.

The four men sent to Oman are Al Khadr Abdallah Muhammad Al Yafi, Fadel Hussein Saleh Hentif, Abd Al-Rahman Abdullah Au Shabati and Mohammed Ahmed Salam.

The final inmate, Akhmed Abdul Qadir, was transferred to Estonia.

The transfer of the five men leaves 122 inmates at the remote prison, which is located at a US naval base in southeastern Cuba.

Meanwhile a discussion continues in Washington about the recidivism rate among the graduates and their tendency to rejoin their jihadist friends. Republicans claim that the rate is thirty percent, while the White House claims that it’s much lower, complaining that Congressmen conflate the actual proven jihadists who return to their old ways with “suspected” grads.

As of July 15, 2014, 620 detainees have been transferred out of the detention facility.

Of the total, 107, or 17.3 percent, have been “confirmed of re-engaging,” which is defined as being directly involved in terrorist or insurgent activities. Nearly half of those — 48 — are now dead or in custody.

Of the total, 77, or 12.4 percent, are “suspected of re-engaging.” This category comprises detainees for whom it’s plausible that they are directly involved in terrorist or insurgent activities, but it can’t be verified or is based only on information from a single source. Sixteen of these 77 are now dead or in custody.

Yeah, well, 107 who were “confirmed” indicates that something is wrong with the screening process. The whole idea of confining them at Guantanamo was to remove them from civil society and to protect the world from their future schemes. If 1-in-5 is returning to the fight, we’ve lost sight of the intent here.

Category: Politics