Six Yemeni detainees at Guantanamo Bay to be repatriated

The Obama administration is planning to repatriate six Yemenis held at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a transfer that could be a prelude to the release of dozens more detainees to Yemen, according to sources with independent knowledge of the matter.

The release is a significant first step toward dealing with the largest group of detainees at the prison -- there are currently 97 Yemenis there -- and toward meeting President Obama's goal of closing the facility.

But Yemen's security problems and lack of resources have spawned fears about its ability to monitor and rehabilitate returnees. Critics of the administration charge that returning detainees to Yemen, a country where al-Qaeda is believed to be thriving, is tantamount to returning terrorists to the battlefield.

The six Yemenis, along with four Afghans, will be transferred out of Guantanamo Bay in coming days. The release follows months of high-level meetings between the government in Yemen and senior American officials, as well as a visit to the country last week by Stephen R. Kappes, the deputy director of the CIA, sources said. The CIA declined to comment.

The transfer will be closely monitored and, if successful, could lead to the release of other Yemenis who have been cleared to go home by a Justice Department-led interagency review team, which examined the case of each detainee held at Guantanamo Bay. Obama set up the review process to accelerate the closure of the detention center.

Previously...

Quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2167923/posts?page=187#187

To: All
Blog:

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/67585-congressman-invokes-fort-hood-shooting-to-object-to-gitmo-prisoner-transfer-

“Congressman invokes Fort Hood shooting to object to Gitmo prisoner transfer”
By Jordan Fabian - 11/12/09 03:23 PM ET

SNIPPET: “A Republican lawmaker on Thursday invoked last week’s Fort Hood shooting to oppose the Obama administration’s decision to transfer Guantanamo Bay prisoners to Yemen.

In a letter to President Barack Obama, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) said that suspected Fort Hood shooter Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan’s contact with Yemen-based radical Islamic cleric Anwar Al-Awlaki, raises questions about Yemen as a destination for the detainees.

“If the administration does not halt these pending releases immediately, it could be responsible for creating a new revolving door of terrorism that will cost American lives,” Wolf wrote today. “The security of the American people could be at risk because of the administration’s relentless pursuit of a campaign promise to close Guantanamo Bay by January 22, 2010.””

Previously...

http://www.pipelinenews.org/index.cfm?page=wolf11.3.09.htm

“Rep Frank Wolf Blasts Obama, Opposes Sending GITMO Detainees To Yemen”

SNIPPET: “November 3, 2009 - San Francisco, CA - PipeLineNews.org - Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10th, VA) today again implored the Obama Administration to rethink its position on releasing detainees from Guantanamo Bay to unstable countries like Yemen.

In a speech on the House floor, Wolf said the administration should “immediately terminate” the return of any detainees to Yemen. Wolf said the deteriorating security situation in Yemen, where al-Qaeda operates freely, raises serious questions as to whether the detainees could be properly monitored by the government of Yemen.

Wolf reminded his colleagues that known al-Qaeda terrorists, including some of the USS Cole bombers, have escaped from prison in Yemen and returned to terrorism. He also pointed to recent media reports of a foiled terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia where one of the alleged terrorists was a former Guantanamo detainee who entered the country from Yemen, “The release of any detainee to Yemen represents a potentially serious threat to the United States and U.S. citizens, both military and civilian,” Wolf said.

The Congressman also asked for congressional hearings on the administration’s plans, saying Congress should be “directly involved in the oversight of detention and release of dangerous detainees held at Guantanamo Bay.”

“As of now, the administration is going down a dangerous road, and Congress is idly allowing them to make these misguided decisions,” Wolf said.

On October 1, Wolf, the leading Republican on the House Appropriations subcommittee that funds the Justice Department, sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder asking that all transfers of Guantanamo detainees be stopped until it is clear that the receiving country can properly monitor anyone who is released. Wolf has yet to receive a response to his letter.

Wolf sent copies of his remarks today to President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, National Security Advisor Gen. James Jones, CIA Director Leon Panetta, Attorney General Holder and FBI Director Robert Mueller.

In the letter he pointed out that in September 2008, al-Qaeda terrorists in Yemen attacked the U.S. Embassy with car bombs, rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons. Ten people were killed in the attack. He also asked for an update on any potential transfers.”

187 posted on November 13, 2009 1:28:21 AM PST by Cindy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies | Report Abuse]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.