Who Are The Gitmo Detainees?

[BPSCG]

I found this info on the Washington Post's website and put it into an Excel spreadsheet, which is attached in zipped format.

According to the Post,

From 2002 to May 2006, Washington Post researchers compiled the names and countries of origin of detainees in Guantanamo from unofficial, public sources: news accounts, legal documents (such as habeas corpus petitions and from the CSRT tribunals), interviews with attorneys and relatives, and information from detainee support sites on the Web. The Post printed only names that it had verified from a single reputable source or multiple sources. Some names were transliterated from Arabic or had alternative spellings. The collection was the largest list of names made public at that point, encompassing: more than 550.
Many names came from two Web sites that monitor the status of Guantanamo detainees: the Arabic-language Alasra and the Britain-based CagePrisoners. The two sites, which advocate the release of the detainees, have published lists of names, photographs and documents provided by families. Alasra is registered to an unknown individual in Saudi Arabia, and CagePrisoners is registered to a group of Muslim computer programmers based in Britain.

The Pentagon List
On May 15, 2006, the Pentagon released to the Associated Press the first comprehensive list of everyone who has been held at Guantanamo Bay, more than four years after it opened the detention center. Two-hundred and one of the names had not been disclosed by the Defense Department before. That more complete register follows below. Post researchers will continue to monitor the names on this new list to verify the information previously reported and will provide updates as they are available.

I took out the hyperlinks attached to a number of the names; they link to .PDF files that show the transcripts from the tribunal hearings that got them released, or to .PDF files showing the formal charges lodged against them. You can find the original Post article here.

It looks like the number of Guantanamo detainees is 780, of which 253 have been released. Column F is headed "NLEC, meaning, "No Longer Enemy Combatants;" there were 31 of them.

So of 780 people captured on or near the battlefield in Afghanistan (less a few who were sent to Guantanamo from secret CIA interrogation locations), almost a third have been released. I'm guessing that the 222 not classified NLEC were in fact innocent bystanders who somehow got caught up in the fighting - or maybe were ratted out by neighbors with a grudge.

 

[geni]

I'm guessing that the 222 not classified NLEC were in fact innocent bystanders who somehow got caught up in the fighting - or maybe were ratted out by neighbors with a grudge.

Innocent bystanders in Afganistan? More likely Pashtun cannon fodder.

 

[Crossbow]

Watch out for those Islamo-Facist-Terrorists who hate our freedoms that are marked by the evil Casio F91W digital wrist watch.

There are several people imprisoned at Guantanamo simply for wearing one of these inoffensive devices.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_F91W

 

[BPSCG]

There are several people imprisoned at Guantanamo simply for wearing one of these inoffensive devices.

For example, this guy:

The following primary factors favor continued detention

a. Commitment

1. The detainee answered a fatwa for Jihad issued by Sheikh Hamoud al Aqla, of Yemen against the infidels, General Masoud and the Northern Alliance.
2. Sheikh Hamoud al Aqla is a Saudi Mufti who issued fatwahs and encouraged people to fight Jihad against Christians and Jews. Al Aqla condoned the 11 Sep 01, attacks against the United States. In addition he helped raise money for Usama Bin Laden until his death in Saudi Arabia in 2001.
3. The detainee traveled from Yemen to Afghanistan to fight the jihad, attended multiple training camps in once there, was present during the United States bombing campaign, and was captured on the 29th day of Ramadan by the Northern Alliance.

b. Training

1. The detainee attended training at al Farouq, participating in Advanced Commando training in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Training consisted of rappelling, sniper training, kidnapping, assassinations, poisons and explosives.

c. Connection

1. A senior al Qaida lieutenant confirmed the detainee’s presence at the frontlines in Kabul and Qandahar.
2. The detainee’s name was found on a computer file seized during a raid on al Qaida associated safe houses in Rawalpindi on 1 March 2003. According to the file, the individuals listed were mujahidin who had come to Afghanistan in December 2001 but had not completed training and therefore were not ready to fight in the war.
3. The detainee’s name was found on a document listing al Qaida mujahidin and the contents of their “trust” accounts recovered during raids against al Qaida associated safe houses in Rawalpindi and Karachi.
4. The detainee’s pocket litter/property included a Casio watch (Model F-91 W).
5. The Casio Watch (Model F-91 W) has been used in bombings linked to al Qaida and radical Islamic terrorist improvised explosive devices.

d. Intent

1. The detainee served on the front line and was assumed to be a bodyguard for Usama Bin Laden.
2. The detainee was a fighter in Tora Bora and had the following weapons with him; the Kalashnikov rifle, the PK machine gun and the rocket propelled grenade (RPG).
3. The detainee participated in military operations against the United States coalition in Bagram and in Tora Bora.
4. The detainee stated that he didn’t believe Usama Bin Laden (UBL) before, but now that he has been in custody for nearly two years, he has been convinced by others that UBL is correct.
5. During an interrogation, the detainee related that the actions of the guards had convinced him all Americans are bad. He stated “America would soon pay the price for its actions.”

Yup, just for wearing a watch, the innocent little lamb.

 

[firecoins]

Thank god I only wear Swiss watches.

 

[Cylinder]

I thought the NLECs were not designated by the CSRT and the others were released by the Administrative Review Boards - meaning they were. Surely we have already shipped more than 31 to be prosecuted by their host country. I'll have to look into that.

Any reasonable link would be appreciated.

 

[Cylinder]

This DoD press release seems to confirm my suspicion:

The Department of Defense announced today that it has released five detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Albania. This movement increases the number of detainees who have departed Guantanamo to 272.

All five of the subject detainees are ethnic Uighurs determined to be “No Longer Enemy Combatants” (NLEC) through a Combatant Status Review Tribunal (CSRT), a review process held at Guantanamo during 2004-2005 to determine classification status of all detainees.

The United States has done the utmost to ensure that the Uighurs will be treated humanely upon release. Our key objective has been to resettle the Uighurs in an environment that will permit them to rebuild their lives. Albania will provide this opportunity.

With this release, DoD has transferred or released 272 detainees from Guantanamo – 192 for release and 80 transferred to other governments, including Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Kuwait, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden and Uganda. Approximately 480 detainees remain at Guantanamo.

 

[Kodiak]

Do you mean who besides being bad guys caught doing bad things in bad places?

 

[daredelvis]

Do you mean who besides being bad guys caught doing bad things in bad places?

Thank you. I see now. No need for a trial of evidence or any of that complicated stuff. You say so, so it must be true. Burn the witches.

Daredelvis

 

[BPSCG]

Thank you. I see now. No need for a trial of evidence or any of that complicated stuff. You say so, so it must be true. Burn the witches

You're talking as if the U.S. government's attitude is, "We caught you, so you must be guilty," when in fact, nearly 200 of them have been released outright. How do you explain that?

 

[daredelvis]

You're talking as if the U.S. government's attitude is, "We caught you, so you must be guilty," when in fact, nearly 200 of them have been released outright. How do you explain that?

How long did it take to release them? How were they treated in the mean time? I act as though I do not like the way the U.S. government has been handling this situation.

Daredelvis

 

[geni]

You're talking as if the U.S. government's attitude is, "We caught you, so you must be guilty," when in fact, nearly 200 of them have been released outright. How do you explain that?

The goverment figured out they were wrong (sort of) eventualy.

 

[BPSCG]

How long did it take to release them? How were they treated in the mean time? I act as though I do not like the way the U.S. government has been handling this situation.

So now we've gone from complaining that there are innocent people being held, to complaining that they weren't released fast enough to suit you.

How were they treated in the mean time? Well, I guess we can agree they weren't tortured, right? Because under your scenario, if they'd been tortured, they would have confessed to crimes they hadn't committed and our delighted inquisitioners would have said, "See? They've confessed!" and they'd still be in there. After all, Guantanamo is an American gulag.

Or do you think that innocent people with no combat training stood up to months or years of torture, without confessing?

 

[Kodiak]

Thank you. I see now. No need for a trial of evidence or any of that complicated stuff. You say so, so it must be true. Burn the witches.

Daredelvis

"Witches" my eye...

Besides, the capture and imprisonment of suspects and their indictment are two entirely different things.

You have soldiers and MPs capturing and then imprisoning suspected individuals, and then JAG (or the State Dept., or whoever...) releasing or prosecuting based on evidence after an investigation.

 

[daredelvis]

So now we've gone from complaining that there are innocent people being held, to complaining that they weren't released fast enough to suit you.

How were they treated in the mean time? Well, I guess we can agree they weren't tortured, right? Because under your scenario, if they'd been tortured, they would have confessed to crimes they hadn't committed and our delighted inquisitioners would have said, "See? They've confessed!" and they'd still be in there. After all, Guantanamo is an American gulag.

Or do you think that innocent people with no combat training stood up to months or years of torture, without confessing?

You might want to wash your hands after stuffing all of those words in my mouth.

Look. I have a problem with holding people for years without trial, or charges. You don't.

Daredelvis

 

[BPSCG]

You might want to wash your hands after stuffing all of those words in my mouth.

Here's my entire post you are referring to. Which ones are the words I am stuffing into your mouth?

So now we've gone from complaining that there are innocent people being held, to complaining that they weren't released fast enough to suit you.

How were they treated in the mean time? Well, I guess we can agree they weren't tortured, right? Because under your scenario, if they'd been tortured, they would have confessed to crimes they hadn't committed and our delighted inquisitioners would have said, "See? They've confessed!" and they'd still be in there. After all, Guantanamo is an American gulag.

Or do you think that innocent people with no combat training stood up to months or years of torture, without confessing?

Look. I have a problem with holding people for years without trial, or charges. You don't.

Yeah, you round up almost 800 people on a battlefield and it takes more than 24 hours to sort out the killers from the innocent. Who woulda thought?

And as it happens, a few of the ones who got released went right back to their previous murderous ways and got captured a second time, proving that, if anything, we were maybe a little too eager to stop providing them with food, clothing, and shelter.

 

[Mycroft]

How long did it take to release them? How were they treated in the mean time? I act as though I do not like the way the U.S. government has been handling this situation.

Daredelvis

If these are really questions that you have, why don't you go gather some evidence and find out? After all, a bunch of people have been released from Gitmo, more than enough for there to be lot's of eye-witness testemonies floating about.

 

[geni]

Here's my entire post you are referring to. Which ones are the words I am stuffing into your mouth?

Yeah, you round up almost 800 people on a battlefield and it takes more than 24 hours to sort out the killers from the innocent. Who woulda thought?

Innocent?

 

[daredelvis]

If these are really questions that you have, why don't you go gather some evidence and find out? After all, a bunch of people have been released from Gitmo, more than enough for there to be lot's of eye-witness testemonies floating about.

It was a rhetorical question. A chance for some to ponder on the consequences of Gitmo. The answer is that many were held for YEARS without charges and then released. I am not OK with this. It seems many here are fine with that.


Daredelvis

 

[BPSCG]

If these are really questions that you have, why don't you go gather some evidence and find out? After all, a bunch of people have been released from Gitmo, more than enough for there to be lot's of eye-witness testemonies floating about.

It was a rhetorical question. A chance for some to ponder on the consequences of Gitmo. The answer is that many were held for YEARS without charges and then released.

Mycroft's question was a request to put up or shut up, as is any request here for evidence to support an assertion. You choose to do neither.