Karam Khamis Sayd Khamsan
Karam Khamis Sayd Khamsan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1969 Al Mahra, Yemen |
| Other names | Karama Khamis, Khamis Al-Mulaiki |
| Occupation | Detainee |
| Known for | Detained at Guantanamo Bay without charges; allegations of mistreatment; classified as No Longer Enemy Combatant |
Karam Khamis Sayd Khamsan—also spelled as Karama Khamis and Khamis Al-Mulaiki—is a Yemeni national who was subjected to extrajudicial detention by the United States at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba. His assigned Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 586. U.S. intelligence sources estimate his birth year as 1969 in Al Mahra, Yemen. Khamsan was returned to Yemen without any formal charges on August 19, 2005.
Allegations of mistreatment during captivity
In an interview conducted by Amnesty International, Khamsan recounted experiences of abuse while detained at Bagram, including physical beatings, forced nudity, confinement alongside other prisoners in stacked positions, and being photographed under duress. He also reported threats of extraordinary rendition to countries such as Egypt or Jordan. The 519th Military Intelligence Battalion, led by Captain Carolyn Wood, carried out interrogations at Bagram prior to their relocation to Abu Ghraib, where numerous abuses were documented.
Khamsan detailed harsh treatment during his transfer to Guantanamo, describing handcuffs applied so tightly they caused flesh injuries. Upon arrival at Guantanamo, he alleged an attempted sexual assault by guards, followed by solitary confinement lasting 25 days during which he was kept naked, had severely limited access to toilet and shower facilities, and was deprived of solid food to prevent defecation within his cell.
Classification as not an Enemy Combatant
According to reporting by the Washington Post, Khamsan was among 38 detainees who were determined not to meet the criteria of enemy combatants following their Combatant Status Review Tribunals. These individuals have been designated by the Department of Defense as No Longer Enemy Combatants. On August 19, 2005, Khamsan was repatriated alongside two others: Maroof Saleemovich Salehove and Mohamed Anwar Kurd.
Subsequent detention and legal proceedings in Yemen
Following his return, U.S. authorities concluded that Khamsan had no ties to al Qaeda but had been present in Afghanistan due to involvement in narcotics trafficking, which contributed to his repatriation to Yemen.
The Yemen Observer reported that on December 24, 2005, Khamsan was apprehended while attempting to approach the U.S. Ambassador carrying a pistol and two hand grenades. The Yemen Times places this alleged incident in December 2004. He faced charges related to attempted assassination.
Reports suggest that the alleged attack was influenced by the use of qat and exposure to anti-American sermons from extremist clerics. His defense team sought evaluations from international medical professionals regarding his mental health status. Ultimately, Khamsan was acquitted on March 13, 2006.