US frees Yemeni prisoner from Guantanamo, sends him to Italy

[webfact]

US frees Yemeni prisoner from Guantanamo, sends him to Italy

MIAMI (AP) — A Yemeni prisoner at Guantanamo Bay was released and sent to Italy after more than 14 years in custody, the Pentagon said Sunday.

The release of Fayiz Ahmad Yahia Suleiman reduced the number of men held at the U.S. base in Cuba to 78. He was among about two dozen low-level Guantanamo prisoners expected to be released in the coming weeks.

"The United States is grateful to the Government of Italy for its humanitarian gesture and willingness to support ongoing U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility," the Defense Department said in a statement.

Military records show Suleiman, who is about 40, was suspected of fighting with al-Qaida against U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan. He was never charged, and officials cleared him for release in 2010. But the U.S. does not send Yemeni prisoners to their homeland because of instability there and had to find another country to accept him for resettlement.

The U.S. transferred two Guantanamo detainees to Italy in November 2009.

President Barack Obama has been seeking to close the detention center amid opposition from Congress, which has prohibited transferring detainees to the U.S. for any reason. The administration has been working with other countries to resettle detainees such as Suleiman who have been cleared for transfer after a comprehensive security review.

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-07-11

[xineohp]

"He was never charged..." Reminds one of what was said at the beginning of each Superman episode... "Truth, Justice and the American way". Seems this Yemeni missed out big time.

[jaidam]

These ex-Gauntanamo chappies have been creating mayhem everywhere they have been released(what a surprise!!). I would have hoped for some sort of accident occurring over in Cuba that would have prevented their release to terrorize civilians. Mind you it was on Obamas watch. The world has become so much more dangerous thanks to this 8 years of appeasing the enemy and Kumbaya chanting.

[Laughing Gravy]

Regardless of some ex Guantanamo prisoners it would seem that if you treat a person like an animal they will behave like one. This could also be said of a terrorist. Many activists accused wrongly and sent to prison become the very thing they were not.

So Obama who championed that he would close this place still hasn't. America the land of the free. Please. I pity decent Americans who can see that clearly, this is a disgrace of a place and goes about everything the country preaches. Holding people without trail for 14 years and also many others. What hypocrisy. The country should be kicked out of the UN, human Rights committees and be held accountable.

[neverdie]

Regardless of some ex Guantanamo prisoners it would seem that if you treat a person like an animal they will behave like one. This could also be said of a terrorist. Many activists accused wrongly and sent to prison become the very thing they were not.

So Obama who championed that he would close this place still hasn't. America the land of the free. Please. I pity decent Americans who can see that clearly, this is a disgrace of a place and goes about everything the country preaches. Holding people without trail for 14 years and also many others. What hypocrisy. The country should be kicked out of the UN, human Rights committees and be held accountable.

If I was innocent, held for 14 years without charge and then released, I'd think about ways to commit a crime to repay my captors for all the years of injustice.

What a nightmare.

They should. Keep Guantanamo Bay open after they release all the prisoners and we can then send various members of the Political community there for a little bit of gentle loving. Start with George Bush (Senior and Junior) & Tony Blair.

Keep the water board well stocked

[Andrew65]

An interesting case re: a British Muslim:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moazzam_Begg