Jabir Jubran Al Fayfi
Jabir Jubran Al Fayfi | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975 Ta'if, Saudi Arabia |
| Occupation(s) | Former Guantanamo detainee; al-Qaeda leader |
| Known for | Detained at Guantánamo Bay; senior leadership in al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula; helped thwart 2010 cargo plane bomb plot |
Jabir Jubran Al Fayfi (born in 1975 in Ta'if, Saudi Arabia) is a Saudi national who was detained without formal charges at the United States' Guantánamo Bay detention camp on suspicions of receiving training and engaging in combat with al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan during 2001.
In December 2006, Al Fayfi was transferred back to Saudi Arabia, where he underwent and completed a de-radicalization program. Nevertheless, he later affiliated himself with al-Qaeda's branch in Yemen, eventually ascending to a senior leadership position within al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. He surrendered to Saudi officials in September 2010 and subsequently contributed intelligence instrumental in preventing the 2010 cargo plane bomb plot.
Career
Raised in Taif, Al-Faifi obtained a certificate after completing an 18-month course at the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation. At age 22, he worked as a security officer at Taif Prison before relocating to a correctional facility in Jeddah. His move to Jeddah was motivated by an attempt to join the Al-Ahli football team; however, he missed the registration deadline. Following repeated warnings for lateness, he was dismissed and returned to Taif, where he experienced four years of unemployment.
During this interval, Al-Faifi became involved with militant circles. Initially characterized by a "wild-life," his outlook grew increasingly devout and conservative as he began attending lectures on Jihad. Influenced by peers, he devoted nine months to watching militant videos focusing on Chechnya. One associate facilitated his journey to Afghanistan through Qatar and Pakistan, while his family believed he had traveled to the Eastern Province for employment.
At first unfamiliar with al-Qaeda, Al-Faifi sought only weapons training aimed at joining the Taliban or participating in the Chechen conflict. He was present in Afghanistan during the September 11 attacks, initially suspecting China’s involvement before realizing a jihadi organization was responsible. He described al-Qaeda as an "emerging" force following 9/11 and moved northward to combat the Northern Alliance alongside American forces. After approximately one month, Allied bombings of Kabul compelled him to withdraw first to Tora Bora and subsequently to Jalalabad.
After Ramadan in 2001, Al-Faifi and roughly 300 fighters—mostly Saudis—undertook a four-day march toward the Pakistani border, surrendering to local tribal leaders under the impression they would be repatriated. Instead, they were handed over to U.S. forces and transported to Guantánamo.
Activities in Afghanistan
According to U.S. military sources, Al Fayfi was present in Afghanistan following the al-Qaeda attacks on September 11, 2001. The military alleged that Al Fayfi admitted participating armedly in the Taliban’s conflict against the Afghan Northern Alliance during late 2001 but denied discharging a weapon, meeting al-Qaeda operatives, or attending training camps. Al Fayfi explained that his journey to Afghanistan was motivated by remorse for not practicing Islam devoutly enough. His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 188, with U.S. analysts estimating his birth year as 1975 in Ta'if, Saudi Arabia.
Combatant Status Review
The initial stance of the Bush administration held that detainees captured during the War on Terror were not entitled to protections under the Geneva Conventions, a position challenged by critics advocating for proper tribunals to determine combatant status. Consequently, the Department of Defense established Combatant Status Review Tribunals (CSRTs) tasked with verifying whether detainees qualified as "enemy combatant."
These tribunals did not grant detainees legal representation or full access to all evidence; government assertions were presumed truthful by default. Occasionally, detainees received unclassified evidence summaries and could submit “reasonably available” evidence and call witnesses.
From July 2004 through March 2005, CSRTs reviewed detainee classifications; Al Fayfi was among approximately one-third who chose not to participate in their hearings.
In Boumediene v. Bush, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that CSRTs failed as adequate substitutes for habeas corpus rights due to significant risks of error and their inability to order release.
A Summary of Evidence memo accused Al Fayfi of:
Administrative Review Board
Individuals classified as "enemy combatants" by the Combatant Status Review Tribunal were subject to yearly Administrative Review Board hearings. These sessions assessed the potential risk a detainee might pose if released or transferred, while also examining reasons to justify ongoing detention.
First annual Administrative Review Board
For Jabri Jabran Al Fayfi's initial annual Administrative Review Board held on December 3, 2004, a Summary of Evidence memo was drafted. This document detailed the arguments both supporting and opposing his continued confinement.
Key reasons supporting continued detention:
Key reasons supporting release or transfer:
Second annual Administrative Review Board
On February 18, 2006, a Summary of Evidence memo was prepared for Jabri Jabran Al Fayfi’s second annual Administrative Review Board. The memo presented factors both advocating for and against his ongoing detention.
Board recommendations
In early September 2007, the Department of Defense made public two heavily redacted memoranda from his Board addressed to Gordon R. England, the Designated Civilian Official. Although the Board reached a unanimous decision, the specific recommendation was withheld from release. Their conclusion was informed by evaluations from the FBI, CIA, United States Department of State, and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Detainee Affairs.
The Board convened on two occasions—March 3 and April 28, 2006—and determined that Jabri Jabran Al Fayfi remained a threat to U.S. security.
The proceedings adhered to the requirements of the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005, including assessments regarding whether any statements were procured through coercion and consideration of new evidence pertaining to his enemy combatant designation:
Repatriation
The Department of Defense stated that Al Fayfi was released from Guantánamo Bay and transferred to Saudi authorities on December 13, 2006. Prior to release, he pledged to abstain from participating in jihad activities and expressed intent to return to Saudi Arabia to care for his parents and resume employment as a taxi driver. He was repatriated alongside fifteen other Saudi nationals: Muhammed Yahia Mosin Al Zayla, Salim Suliman Al Harbi, Yusef Abdullah Saleh Al Rabiesh, Salman Saad Al Khadi Mohammed, Ibrahimj Sulayman Muhammad Arbaysh, Abdullah Muhammed Abdel Aziz, Anwar Hamdan Muhammed Al-Noor, Salah Abdul Rasul Ali Abdul Al-Balushi, Abd Al Aziz Muhammad Ibrahim Al Nasir, Ziad Said Farg Jahdari, Majed Hamad Al Frih, Bessam Muhammed Saleh Al Dubaikey, Said Ali Abdullah Al Farha Al Ghamidi, Sultan Sari Sayel Al Anazi, and Abdul Rahman Khowlan.
The Saudi government officially announced his repatriation on December 14, 2006, along with six other Saudis. These seven individuals were held without formal charges in Hayer Prison while authorities examined any possible legal infractions.
Rehabilitation program
Al Fayfi participated in Saudi Arabia’s militant rehabilitation initiative at the Muhammad Bin Naif Al-Munasaha Center. Classified as "low risk," he was included in a pilot group designed to evaluate the program’s success. This rehabilitation effort employs Islamic teachings aimed at countering al-Qaeda ideology and offers financial assistance along with family oversight intended to reduce the likelihood of re-engagement in extremist activities.
Al-Qaeda
Following his participation in the Saudi rehabilitation initiative, Fayfi became affiliated with al-Qaeda in Yemen. Over a period of two years, he advanced to rank among the leading dozen commanders within al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. On February 3, 2009, Saudi authorities listed Al Fayfi among 85 individuals designated as "most wanted" terrorism suspects.
Surrender
On September 7, 2010, Fox News reported that Al Fayfi was apprehended during an operation targeting suspected militants. A Yemeni official confirmed on September 9 that he had surrendered and was under custody in Abyan province. Subsequently, Yemeni officials arranged for his transfer to Riyadh.
The Saudi Interior Ministry announced on October 15, 2010, that during Ramadan, Al Fayfi had reached out from Yemen to express remorse and a willingness to surrender. General Mansour al-Turki, spokesperson for the Interior Ministry, explained that his case would be processed "in accordance with local laws," taking into account his voluntary capitulation.
Reportedly helped thwart bomb plot
On November 1, 2010, it was reported that Al Fayfi supplied intelligence instrumental in averting the 2010 cargo plane bomb plot. The Associated Press, referencing Yemeni security sources, suggested that Al Fayfi acted as an informant for Saudi security services tasked with penetrating Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
According to the Associated Press: