Rare News Desk
Yasmeen Alamiri is one of only two journalists currently reporting from the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay. Alamiri, Rare’s political reporter, is alongside the U.S. military covering pre-trial hearings for alleged al Qaeda operative Abd al Hadi al Iraqi.
Videos by Rare
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba — More than 14 years have passed since the Guantanamo Bay detention facility was established, and despite promises to close the controversial prison, the complex remains operational. Initially meant to house “the worst of the worst,” the prison has since been known to hold prisoners that have yet to be charged. In fact, on Saturday, three detainees who were never charged were transferred away from the facility to Italy and Serbia.
RELATED: These are the only 3 Republicans in the House who voted to close Guantanamo Bay
Umar Abdulayev, 37, from Tajikistan, who has been held at Guantanamo since 2002, was released to Serbia on Saturday after being held for 14 years without charges. The same is true for Yemeni national Mansur Ahmad Saad al-Dayfi, who also was released Saturday to Serbia. Yemeni national Fayiz Ahmed Yahia Suleiman was recommended for transfer in 2010 and was released to Italy on Saturday after being held in Guantanamo since 2002, also without charges.
The detention facility was established in 2002 under the George W. Bush administration and continues to operate under President Obama, though in 2009, Obama used his first executive order to call for its closing within a year. However, logistical, legal and political issues slowed the process of releasing cleared prisoners and trying those who have been charged with war crimes.
Of the 76 detainees remaining at Guantanamo (not counting the three that just left), 27 have been approved for transfer and 36 have not been cleared for release but have not been charged with a crime. The last 10 detainees have been charged with crimes, and their cases are being handled through ongoing military commissions hearings.
Of the ten prisoners who have been charged, five of them are men accused of having a role in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Hearings for the pre-trial cases are weeks or months apart to give lawyers on both sides, and the judge, time to gather pertinent information, as well as to accommodate other hearings at the Guantanamo facility.
RELATED: It’s been a long source of controversy but how much do you know about Guantanamo Bay?
In the waning months of the Obama administration, there is a sense of urgency if the president wants to honor his promise to close the facility. But the complicated task of hearings, trials, and finding host countries already cleared for transfer could take years, making it unlikely to happen during Obama’s term. Since 2009, 30 countries have offered to host and resettle Guantanamo detainees, taking more than 100 detainees.
What happens next with the Guantanamo facility will be left to the next president. Likely Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has repeated her backing of Obama’s proposal to close the detention facility as quickly as possible. Likely Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has taken a different stance on the facility, vowing to keep it open and “load it up with some bad dudes.”
