Guantanamo inmates swapped for Bergdahl could move freely

[webfact]

Guantanamo inmates swapped for Bergdahl could move freely
By DEB RIECHMANN

WASHINGTON (AP) — Five senior Taliban leaders released last year from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in exchange for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl could move freely around the world next week as their one-year travel ban expires.

The five detainees were sent to Qatar where government officials agreed to monitor their activities and prevent them from traveling out of the country under the terms of the May 2014 exchange. Bergdahl, who had been held captive by the Taliban for nearly five years after walking away from his Army post in Afghanistan, was released to the U.S. military.

He recently was charged with desertion.

U.S. officials have discussed with the Qataris the possibility of extending the travel ban after it expires on June 1. But so far, the White House has not publicly announced any new agreement with Qatar, meaning the five could leave the tiny nation on the Arabian Peninsula at the end of the month.

"In Congress, we spent a lot of time debating whether the Qataris were going to adequately keep an eye on them in the course of the 12 months," said Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence committee. "My point all along was that I'm more worried about month No. 13 than the first 12."

Schiff has been privy to the details of the still-secret memorandum of understanding the U.S. reached with Qatar that put the five under a 12-month watch following their release.

"The Qataris did pretty good — I wouldn't say perfect," he said about the year-long monitoring. "But the big question is what comes next."

At least one of the five allegedly contacted militants during the past year while in Qatar. No details have been disclosed about that contact, but the White House confirmed that one was put under enhanced surveillance. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said last week: "I know that at least one has had communication with the Taliban."

One or more of the detainees had some members of the al-Qaida-affiliated Haqqani militant group travel to Qatar to meet with them earlier in the year, according to Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. That was an indication that the group was reaching out to communicate with the so-called Taliban Five, said Graham, who predicts all five will rejoin the fight.

Four of the five former detainees remain on the United Nations' blacklist, which freezes their assets and has them under a separate travel ban. But the U.N. itself has acknowledged that its travel ban has been violated. In a report late last year, the U.N. sanctions committee stated: "Regrettably, the monitoring team continues to receive a steady — albeit officially unconfirmed — flow of media reports indicating that some listed individuals have become increasingly adept at circumventing the sanctions measures, the travel ban in particular."

The State Department insists that U.S. officials work to mitigate the risk of former Guantanamo detainees returning to the fight, threatening Americans or jeopardizing U.S. national security. U.S. officials have noted in the past that the five Taliban leaders are middle-aged or older, were former officials in the Taliban government and probably wouldn't be seen again on any battlefield, although they could continue to be active members of the Taliban.

Members of Congress have repeatedly expressed concern about what will happen after the travel ban expires. They have asked the Obama administration to try to persuade Qatar to extend the monitoring.

"It's impossible for me to see how they don't rejoin the fight in short order," said Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., wrote Defense Secretary Ash Carter in March, asking him to take any step necessary to make sure the five do not return to the battlefield in Afghanistan. And earlier this month, the 13 Republican members of the House Intelligence committee wrote President Barack Obama asking him to urge Qatar to extend travel restrictions on the former detainees indefinitely.

"If, as scheduled, Qatar permits these five former detainees to possess passports and travel to Afghanistan or Pakistan when the memorandum of understanding expires on June 1, they will be at liberty to play an even more direct role in attacks against the men and women of our military," they wrote.

Many lawmakers from both parties were irate when the five Guantanamo detainees were swapped for Bergdahl. They complained that the White House did not give Congress a 30-day notification of the transfer, which is required by law. The White House said it couldn't wait 30 days because Bergdahl's life was endangered.

After the transfer, the House Armed Services Committee demanded the Pentagon release internal documents about the swap. The committee received hundreds, but lawmakers complain that they are heavily redacted. The committee inserted language in the fiscal 2016 defense policy bill that threatens to cut Pentagon spending by about $500 million if the Defense Department doesn't provide additional information about the exchange.

Army Lt. Col. Joe Sowers, a spokesman for the Defense Department, said the Pentagon has provided the committee with more than 3,600 pages of documents and redactions have been minimal.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-05-28

[ezzra]

We have only to thank Mr Obama for that, let him know that any blood spilled as a result of his

decision to release those people will be laid squarely and fairly to his feet.. for ever...

[impulse]

We have only to thank Mr Obama for that, let him know that any blood spilled as a result of his

decision to release those people will be laid squarely and fairly to his feet.. for ever...

Guantanamo, torture and prisoner abuse have been a perfect propaganda and recruiting tool for terrorist organizations since it was opened.

My only faulting of Obama is that he hasn't made good on his promise to close it down completely. In 50 years, history will put Guantanamo right up there with Nisei internment camps- a blight on our principles.

[50baht]

Five High Ranking equivilate to Generals in the Taliban were swap for a guy who got REJECTED from the USA COAST GUARD !!

>> In 2006, Bergdahl entered basic training in the United States Coast Guard but was discharged after 26 days for psychological reasons and received an "uncharacterized discharge".^[2]

Then got in Army when they needed Bodies in 2008. Low level Soldier 3 of clubs swapped for 5 Aces . Why ? PARENTS ARE MUSLIM !!

Great ! make sence now these 5 guys can run large units that desperatly need some Top level comanderes.

PC gone Amuk

PS Now Bergdhal may spend time in prison for training his captors ! <deleted>

[ttthailand]

They should have done with these guys what the terrorists do with their captives and we would not be facing these guys again in the future.

[Credo]

At least if they travel, they can be tracked if they attempt to come to any western country. If they head to their old stomping grounds, there aren't many westerners to kill, they will be stuck killing others of the same ilk.

[stoli]

We have only to thank Mr Obama for that, let him know that any blood spilled as a result of his

decision to release those people will be laid squarely and fairly to his feet.. for ever...

Guantanamo, torture and prisoner abuse have been a perfect propaganda and recruiting tool for terrorist organizations since it was opened.

My only faulting of Obama is that he hasn't made good on his promise to close it down completely. In 50 years, history will put Guantanamo right up there with Nisei internment camps- a blight on our principles.

You can spin whatever you want about Guantanamo. Wars are never pretty, and never will be. You choose your side, and then you accept the consequences. I don't care how many prisoners go through interrogation, if it saves American lives. Do you? Where do you draw the line? American lives first, or second?

[Credo]

Once they leave Quatar, I suggest they keep a very close eye on the sky above them. Those little dark spots way up there are likely to be a drone with a payload to drop on them.

[oneday]

You can't beat an enemy by playing by the rules, when the enemy has no rules.

[FloridaExport]

I wonder if the FIFA investigation is being used as leverage against Qatar to keep the terrorists put. Not that we should want these guys in a country that is supposed the be holding a World Cup.

[ubonjoe]

A defamatory post and a reply to it has been removed.

[Jonmarleesco]

'"If, as scheduled, Qatar permits these five former detainees to possess passports and travel to Afghanistan or Pakistan ... they will be at liberty to play an even more direct role in attacks against the men and women of our military ..."' Hard to see why the US agreed to the release of FIVE militants in exchange for an apparent deserter, who to all intents and purposes, put his life in jeopardy of his own accord, and by default, was passively complicit.