JTF Guantanamo Marks 500th Detainee Transfer

Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class William Weinert | Joint Task Force Guantanamo deputy commander, Army Brig. Gen. Cameron Crawford, and the JTF chief of staff discuss detainee transfer options, Dec. 31. Approximately 500 detainees have been either transferred or released from JTF detention facilities since the beginning of detention operations in January 2002. JTF Guantanamo conducts safe and humane care and custody of detained enemy combatants. The JTF conducts interrogation operations to collect strategic intelligence in support of the Global War on Terror and supports law enforcement and war crimes investigations. JTF Guantanamo is committed to the safety and security of American service members and civilians working inside it's detention facilities.  

01.07.2008

Story by Sgt. Sarah Stannard 

Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs

By Army Sgt. Sarah Stannard
Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba – The Department of Defense announced Dec. 28 the transfer of ten detainees to Saudi Arabia. This marks 500 detainees who have been relocated to other countries via transfer or release.

"Under international law there is no requirement for the U.S. government to have any process, other then just simply keeping them off the battle field. However, in keeping with the President's intent to not hold any single detainee longer than necessary, we have implemented a series of procedures to ensure we evaluate current information on each of them," said Joint Task Force Guantanamo deputy commander ,Brig. Gen. Cameron Crawford.

Annual review boards are the process by which both classified and unclassified evidence against a detainee is reviewed each year. Three field grade officers make up the board.

Providing only a recommendation on the status of detention, the board members review the facts and offer their findings to the designated civilian official, the Hon. Gordon England, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense. England then makes the final determination whether to release, transfer or continue to detain.

The Department of Defense has determined, via the annual review boards, that more than 60 detainees currently held here are eligible for transfer or release. Departure of these detainees hinges on negotiations between the U.S. State Department and other nations.

"Some countries are happy to have their constituents back, however, sometimes we have credible evidence that they may be tortured or killed when they return there. We will not knowingly release a detainee if we have information that he will be tortured or killed," Crawford said. "That causes us to look to third party nations to attempt to take some detainees."

Since 2002, detainees have been released to other countries including Albania, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, France, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom and Yemen.

There are approximately 275 detainees currently held.

• Date Taken: 01.07.2008
• Date Posted: 01.07.2008 10:10
• Story ID: 15206