In a significant move, two alleged bodyguards of Osama bin Laden and nine others linked to Al-Qaeda were quietly released from Guantanamo Bay. The Pentagon confirmed that 11 Yemeni detainees were transferred to Oman after being held for over two decades without charges.
This transfer marks a major step by the Biden administration to reduce the detainee population at the U.S. naval base in Cuba. The Defense Department expressed gratitude to Oman for supporting efforts to close the controversial facility. A statement emphasized that each detainee underwent thorough interagency reviews and was deemed eligible for transfer in line with U.S. national security interests.
Among those released were Moath Hamza Ahmed al-Alwi and Suhayl Abdul Anam al-Sharabi, identified as bodyguards of bin Laden. Al-Alwi was also accused of being an Al-Qaeda fighter. Another detainee, Shaqawi al-Hajj, protested his detention through hunger strikes during his 21 years at Guantanamo. Rights groups have long condemned the detention of individuals without charges, urging successive administrations to close the prison.
Guantanamo Bay, established in 2002 during President George W. Bush's "war on terror," once held about 800 detainees. The latest release brings the number of detainees to 15, the lowest since the prison's inception. The facility gained notoriety for its indefinite detentions and allegations of torture.
Many detainees, including the Yemeni men recently transferred, have faced challenges in finding countries willing to accept them. Yemen's ongoing conflict, with its capital controlled by Iran-backed Houthi militants, prevents safe repatriation. Oman has previously accepted around 30 former detainees, although the fate of some remains unclear.
One Yemeni prisoner reportedly died in Oman after being promised repatriation. A British activist group claimed 26 Yemenis returned home under pressure, with financial compensation from Oman. However, the whereabouts of others remain unknown.
The transfer leaves six never-charged detainees, two convicted inmates, and seven others awaiting trial at Guantanamo. Those charged include suspects in the 9/11 attacks, the 2000 USS Cole bombing, and the 2002 Bali bombings.
The Defense Department reiterated its commitment to responsibly reducing Guantanamo's population. It noted that the Yemeni detainees were transferred to Oman to ensure their safety amid Yemen's unstable conditions.
The release is part of broader efforts to close Guantanamo Bay, which remains a contentious symbol of post-9/11 counterterrorism policies. Advocates argue that its continued operation undermines human rights and tarnishes the U.S.'s global reputation.
As the Biden administration works toward closing the facility, questions remain about the fate of the remaining detainees and the long-term implications for U.S. national security and global relations.
