Algerian detainees at Guantanamo Bay

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.

A total of 778 detainees have been held in the Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba since the camps opened on January 11, 2002.^[1]

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 April 2016, 80 detainees remain at Guantanamo.^[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.

On July 3, 2008 Carol Rosenberg of the Miami Herald reported that the two repatriated Algerians were Mustafa Hamlily and Abdul Raham Hourari.^[7]

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.

Algerian detainees in Guantanamo

isn	name	arrival date	departure date	notes
70	Abdul Raham Houari	2002-02-08	2008-07-02	Allegedly trained at an Afghan military camp.[8][9] Repatriated on July 2, 2008.[10]
175	Hassan Mujamma Rabai Said	2002-05-01	2009-01-17	Allegedly named on a list of persons associated with a senior al Qaeda member," from captured hard drives.[11][12] Allegedly "attended the Al Farouq training camp."[11] Allegedly an "Osama bin Laden bodyguard".[11] Allegedly captured with thirty other Arabs on December 15, 2001.[11] Allegedly served as a supply clerk in Tora Bora.[11] Allegedly named on multiple suspicious lists.[12][13] Held in Guantanamo as of November 25, 2008.[10]
238	Nabil Hadjarab	2002-02-15	2013-08-29[14]	Allegedly attended the Finsbury Park Mosque in London, United Kingdom.[15] Allegedly stayed at Zacharia's house in Jalalabad in 2001. Zacharia allegedly gave him a rifle for self-defense.[16] Allegedly met someone who planned to set off a radiological bomb in the USA.[16] Denied receiving military training in Afghanistan.[16] Denied knowing anyone in Al Qaida.[16] Denied engaging in any hostilities.[16] Denied knowing Afghanistan was a haven for terrorists.[16] Still held in Guantanamo.as of August 10, 2013.[17] On hunger strike, as of August 2013[17] Transferred to Algeria on August 29, 2013.[14]
284	Mohammed Abd Al Al Qadir	2002-01-21	2008-08-25	Allegedly trained at an Afghan military camp.[18] Allegedly stayed at a suspect guest house.[18] Allegedly a member of suspect groups.[18] Repatriated on August 26, 2008.[19] Repatriated on August 25, 2008.[10]
288	Mutij Sadiz Ahmad Sayab	2002-01-21	2013-08-28	Allegedly stayed at suspect guest houses.[20] Arrested after fleeing to Pakistan two weeks after 9-11.[20] Allegedly knew about the attacks of 9-11.[21] Still held in Guantanamo as of November 25, 2008.[10] Transferred to Algeria on August 29, 2013.[14]
290	Ahmed Bin Saleh Bel Bacha	2002-02-09	2014-03-13	Allegedly attended the Finsbury Park Mosque in London United Kingdom.[22] Allegedly stayed at suspect guest house.[22] Allegedly stayed with al Qaeda leaders in Afghanistan.[23] Allegedly met Osama bin Laden.[23] Repatriated on March 13, 2014.[24]
292	Abdulli Feghoul	2002-02-15	2008-08-25	Repatriated on August 26, 2008.[10][19]
310	Djamel Ameziane	2002-02-12	2013-12-05	Allegedly worshipped at suspicious mosques in Montreal.[25] Allegedly stayed at suspect guest houses in Afghanistan.[25] Allegedly traveled through Tora Bora during the American aerial bombardment of Afghanistan. Allegedly present when other detainees attempted to escape after a bush crash.[26] Repatriated on 2013-12-05.[27]
311	Farhi Saeed bin Mohammed	2002-02-11		Tribunal panel 15 convened on both 21 October 2004 and 27 October 2004, and confirmed Saiid Farhi's "enemy combatant" status in his absence.[28] Lived in Europe during the 1990s.[29] Allegedly trained at an Afghanistan military camp.[29] 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.[30] Traveled on a stolen passport.[31] Passed by, and stopped at a funeral that might have been attended by Osama bin Laden.[32] Still held in Guantanamo as of November 25, 2008.[10]
533	Hassan Zumiri	2002-05-01	2010-01-20	Allegedly traveled on a stolen passport.[33] Loaned Ahmed Ressam $3,500 and a video camera, prior to his attempt to bomb Los Angeles Airport.[34] Allegedly engaged in bank fraud during the five years he spent in Canada.[35]
659	Sameur Abdenour	2002-06-16	2007-12-19	Allegedly trained at an Afghan military camp.[36] Testified he was a legal resident of the United Kingdom, and that he had traveled legally to Afghanistan.[37] Returned to the UK along with three other legal residents on December 19, 2007. He was questioned and released without charges the next day.[10]
694	Sufyian Barhoumi	2002-06-18		Faces charges before a Guantanamo military commission.[38][39][40][41][42] Captured in the same Faisalabad safe house as four other detainees who faced charges before a Guantanamo military commission.[43] Alleged to be a bomb-maker, allegedly trained others in how to make bombs.[43] Allegedly trained at Afghan military camps.[43] Lost fingers during an explosion.[43] 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.[44] Denied allegations he planned to plant bombs in the USA.[44] Still held in Guantanamo as of November 25, 2008.[10]
703	Ahmed bin Kadr Labed	2002-08-05	2008-11-10	Allegedly trained at an Afghan military training camp.[45] Captured in safe house in Faisalabad with five other men who were to face charges before a Guantanamo military camp.[45] Allegedly served on the front line.[45] Allegedly spent most of the 1990s supporting himself with petty crime in Europe.[46] Ahmed claimed he traveled to Afghanistan to buy drugs.[47] Confirmed serving on the third, support line when the Taliban faced the Northern Alliance, in late 2001.[47] 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.[47] Still held in Guantanamo as of November 25, 2008.
705	Mustafa Ahmed Hamlily	2002-08-05	2008-07-02	Worked for charities that were suspected of ties to al Qaeda.[48] Testified he spent ten years as a humanitarian aid worker in Pakistan.[49] Repatriated on July 2, 2008.[7]
718	Fethi Boucetta	2002-08-05	2006-11-17	Arrested in the Pakistani refugee camp where he both lived and worked. Had never been to Afghanistan, and denied any ties to terrorism. Determined never to have been an enemy combatant after all. Transferred to a refugee camp in Albania on November 17, 2006.[10]
744	Aziz Abdul Naji	2002-08-05	2010-07-20	Won his habeas corpus. Transferred to Algeria against his will.
939	Mammar Ameur	2003-03-23	2008-10-06	Allegedly captured in a "safe house".[50] Worked for a charity alleged to have an association with a terrorist group.[50] 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.[51] The testimony of the witness he requested was ruled "not reasonably available".[51] Testified he was captured in his family home, not a safe house.[51] 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.[51] Repatriated on 2008 October 8.[52][53][54][55]
1016	Soufian Abar Huwari	2003-05-09	2008-10-06
1452	Adil Hadi bin Hamlili		2010-01-20

Algerian Six

Guantanamo also contains six citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina who were born in Algeria, who are known as the "Algerian Six".

Repatriation

The Department of Defense has acknowledged repatriating seven Algerians: Abdul Raham Houari, Mohammed Abd Al Al Qadir, Sameur Abdenour, Mustafa Ahmed Hamlily, Fethi Boucetta, Mammar Ameur, and Soufian Abar Huwari. The Department of Defense didn't reveal the men's names.

On April 3, 2009, at the G20 Summit in Strausburg, French President Nicolai Sarkozy indicated France would offer asylum to a former Guantanamo detainee.^[56][57]

References

1. OARDEC (May 15, 2006). "List of Individuals Detained by the Department of Defense at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from January 2002 through May 15, 2006" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
2. "Two Algerians still detained in Guantanamo: Algerian official". Xinhua. 2016-08-22. 'Out of the 26 inmates that had been identified in 2006, 18 were released and tried by the Algerian justice,' the statement said.
3. Spetalnik, Matt (2016-04-21). "Guantanamo shrinking but Obama goal of closing prison still elusive". Retrieved 2016-04-22.
4. Devin Montgomery (March 2, 2008). "Algeria officials visit Guantanamo Bay detainees". The Jurist. Archived from the original on 5 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-03.
5. "Ksentini discloses details about Guantanamo detainees: Algeria US negotiations fail at four conditions". El Khabar. June 23, 2008. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2008-06-23.
6. "Detainee Transfer Announced". United States Department of Defense. 2008-07-02. Archived from the original on 10 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
7. Carol Rosenberg (2008-07-03). "First Algerians repatriated from Gitmo". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on 2008-07-04. Retrieved 2008-07-04.
8. OARDEC. "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Houari" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. p. 87. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
9. Summarized transcript (.pdf), from Abdul Raham Houari's Administrative Review Board hearing - page 102
10. OARDEC (2008-10-09). "Consolidated chronological listing of GTMO detainees released, transferred or deceased" (PDF). Department of Defense. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-28.
11. OARDEC (20 September 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Bashir Ghalaab" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 80–81. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
12. OARDEC (date redacted). "Summarized Administrative Review Board Proceedings (ISN 175)" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 103–104. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-14. Check date values in: |date= (help)
13. OARDEC (19 March 2006). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Said, Hassan Mujamma Rabai" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 55–56. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
14. "TWO GITMO DETAINEES TRANSFERRED TO ALGERIA". United Press International. Breitbart. 2013-08-29. Retrieved 2013-08-29.
15. OARDEC (18 September 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Hadjarab, Nabil Said" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 65–66. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-23.
16. OARDEC (6 July 2005). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Hadjarab, Nabil" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 86–88. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-23.
17. Grisham, John (2013-08-10). "After Guantánamo, Another Injustice". The New York Times.
18. OARDEC (21 September 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Al Qadir, Mohammed Abd Al" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 27–28. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
19. "2 Guantanamo inmates transferred to Algeria". Associated Press. 2008-08-26. Archived from the original on 2008-08-27. Retrieved 2008-08-27.
20. OARDEC (17 September 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Sayab, Mutij Sadiz Ahmad" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. p. 32. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
21. Army Sgt. Sarah Stannard (October 29, 2007). "OARDEC provides recommendations to Deputy Secretary of Defense". JTF Guantanamo Public Affairs. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
22. OARDEC (1 October 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Bel Bacha, Ahmed Bin Saleh" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 34–35. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
23. OARDEC (29 March 2005). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Bel Bacha, Ahmed Bin Saleh" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 5–6. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
24. Carol Rosenberg (2014-03-14). "U.S. repatriates once-resistant Guantánamo detainee to Algeria". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on 2014-03-14. Retrieved 2014-03-17. The U.S. sent home to Algeria on Thursday a long-held Guantánamo captive who was cleared for return years ago but for a time sought resettlement elsewhere rather than repatriation to his civil-war stricken homeland.
25. OARDEC (30 September 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Ameziane, Djamel Saiid Ali (published September 2007)" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 48–49. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-01.
26. OARDEC (12 May 2005). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Ameziane, Djamel Saiid Ali" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 11–13. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
27. Margot Williams (2008-11-03). "Guantanamo Docket: Djamel Saiid Ali Ameziane". New York Times. Retrieved October 2010. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
28. "Saiid Farhi v. George W. Bush -- 05-1347 (GK)" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. 31 October 2005. pp. 48–64. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
29. OARDEC (29 September 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Farhi, Saiid" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. p. 50. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-03. Works related to Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Farhi, Saiid at Wikisource
30. OARDEC (date redacted). "Summarized Statement" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 84–94. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-03. Check date values in: |date= (help)
31. OARDEC (21 March 2005). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Farhi, Saiid" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 28–29. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-03. Works related to Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Farhi, Saiid (2005-03-21) at Wikisource
32. OARDEC (21 March 2005). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Farhi, Saiid" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 28–29. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-03. Works related to Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Farhi, Saiid (2006-02-20) at Wikisource
33. OARDEC (18 October 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Zumiri, Hassan" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 57–58. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 December 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-22.
34. OARDEC (31 October 2005). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Zumiri, Hassan" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 91–94. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 December 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
35. OARDEC (1 November 2006). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Zamiri, Hasan" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 20–22. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
36. OARDEC (9 September 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Sameur, Abdenour" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 24–25. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-05.
37. OARDEC (date redacted). "Summarized Statement" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 38–52. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-05. Check date values in: |date= (help)
38. George W. Bush (July 6, 2004). "To the Secretary of Defense" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. Retrieved 2008-05-03. Accordingly, it is hereby ordered that, effective this date, Sufyian Barhoumi shall be subject to the Military Order of November 13, 2001.
39. John D. Alternburg Jr. (November 4, 2005). "Military Commission Case No. 05-0006" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. Retrieved 2008-05-03. The charges against Sufyian Barhoumi (a/k/a Abu Obaida, a/k/a Obaydah A1 Jaza'iri, a/k/a Shafiq) are approved.
40. "USA v. Barhoumi" (PDF). US Department of Defense. November 7, 2005. Archived from http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2005/d20051220barhoumichargesapproved.pdf the original Check |url= value (help) (PDF) on February 16, 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-27.
41. Andrew Gilmore (May 30, 2008). "Pentagon files new charges against 3 Guantanamo detainees". The Jurist. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
42. "Charge sheet (2008)" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. May 29, 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
43. OARDEC (16 September 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Detainee Sufyian Barhoumi" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. p. 61. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
44. OARDEC (date redacted). "Summarized Statement" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 24–38. Retrieved 2008-05-03. Check date values in: |date= (help)
45. OARDEC (18 October 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Labed, Ahmed Bin Kadr" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. p. 68. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-23.
46. OARDEC (16 September 2005). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Labed, Ahmed Bin Kadr" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 20–23. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-23.
47. OARDEC (2005-10-11). "Summary of Administrative Review Board Proceedings of ISN 703" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 107–122. Retrieved 2008-06-23.
48. OARDEC (16 September 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Hamlily, Mustafa Ahmed" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. p. 71. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-04.
49. OARDEC (date redacted). "Summarized Sworn Detainee Statement" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 16–20. Retrieved 2008-07-04. Check date values in: |date= (help)
50. OARDEC (26 October 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Ameur, Mammar" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. p. 68. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
51. OARDEC (date redacted). "Summarized Statement" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 61–80. Retrieved 2008-06-02. Check date values in: |date= (help)
52. "Two Guantanamo detainees transferred: Pentagon". Agence France Presse. 2008-10-08. Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-08.
53. "Pentagon: Two Guantanamo Detainees Transferred". Voice of America. 2008-10-08. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-08.
54. "The US hands over Algeria a fifth Guantanamo prisoner". El Khabar. 2008-10-10. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
55. Andy Worthington (2008-10-08). "Two 50 Year Olds Are Released From Guantanamo". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
56. "Sarkozy says France to accept Guantanamo prisoner". Houston Chronicle. 2009-04-03. Archived from the original on 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
57. Tom Raum (2009-04-03). "Obama, Sarkozy find common ground on Guantanamo". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2009-04-03.

External links

• Two Algerian Torture Victims Are Freed from Guantánamo Andy Worthington 25.1.2010
• "Six years from home – Guantánamo detainees from Bosnia and Herzegovina". Amnesty International. 18 January 2008. Archived from the original on 22 January 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-18.
• UN experts warn against sending detainees at torture-risk
• Obama and US Courts Repatriate Algerian from Guantánamo Against His Will; May Be Complicit in Torture Andy Worthington 21.7.2010