List of Saudi detainees at Guantanamo Bay
| Company type | Military detention facility |
|---|---|
| Industry | Detention, military operations |
| Founded | January 11, 2002 in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba |
| Headquarters | Guantanamo Bay , Cuba |
Area served | United States military detainees, including Saudi nationals |
A total of 134 Saudi nationals have been detained at the United States' Guantanamo Bay detention camps located in Cuba since January 2002. The majority were apprehended in Afghanistan following the U.S. military intervention in 2001 and were designated as enemy combatants.
Among the detainees was one U.S. citizen, Yaser Esam Hamdi, who was born in Louisiana but raised in Saudi Arabia. Initially held at Guantanamo, he was later moved to a military prison within the United States due to his American citizenship. Hamdi legally contested his indefinite detention without formal charges, a case that escalated to the United States Supreme Court. In the 2004 decision Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, the Court affirmed that U.S. citizen detainees are entitled to due process and must be allowed to challenge their enemy combatant status before an impartial adjudicator. Subsequently, Hamdi consented to relinquish his U.S. citizenship and accept travel limitations; he was deported to Saudi Arabia in October 2004, where he reunited with his family.
Following the deaths of three Saudi detainees—two on June 10, 2006, and one on May 30, 2007—the Department of Defense classified these incidents as suicides. In response, the Saudi government intensified diplomatic efforts for repatriation, resulting in nearly 100 Saudi nationals being returned between June 2006 and 2007. As of January 2024, two Saudi detainees remain incarcerated at Guantanamo.[1]
History
The initial phase of construction for the Guantanamo Bay detention facility at the U.S. naval base in Cuba was completed in January 2002 to accommodate enemy combatants captured during the war on terror, primarily those seized in Afghanistan beginning in late 2001. Since its opening on January 11, 2002, Guantanamo has held a total of 778 detainees, including 133 Saudi nationals. The detainee population peaked at approximately 660 individuals in 2004.
Among the Saudis detained, three—Yasser Talal Al Zahrani, Mani Shaman Turki al-Habardi Al-Utaybi, and Abdul Rahman al-Amri—died while in custody during 2006 and 2007.[1] Although the Department of Defense officially attributed these fatalities to suicides, their circumstances have been heavily scrutinized by the Saudi government, family members, journalists, and independent researchers who have highlighted discrepancies in official accounts. Former camp personnel and legal authorities have raised concerns about potential torture and attempts to conceal relevant facts.[2] The death of Al-Amri on May 30, 2007 was also reported by the DOD as a suicide.[3]
In reaction to these events, Saudi Arabia escalated its repatriation initiatives and established a reintegration program focused on religious education and social rehabilitation through employment opportunities and marriage support. Between June 2006 and December 2007, a total of 93 Saudi detainees were returned to their home country.[4] As of now, two Saudis remain imprisoned at Guantanamo.[1]
Saudi citizens held in Guantanamo
... [entries continue with similar emphasis on release dates, repatriations, recidivism status, notable incidents, and affiliations] ...| Release Date |
ISN | Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-12-29 | 00005 | Abdul Aziz Al Matrafi | |
| 2007-07-16 | 00013 | Fahed Nasser Mohamed |
|
| 2007-02-20 | 00025 | Majeed Abdullah Al Joudi |
|
| 2015-09-21 | 00042 | Abdul Rahman Shalabi |
|
| Currently Detained | 00049 | Assem Matruq Mohammad Al Aasmi | |
| 2007-09-05 | 00051 | Majid Al Barayan | |
| 2007-07-15 | 00053 | Saud Dakhil Allah Muslih Al Mahayawi | |
| 2006-12-13 | 00055 | Muhammed Yahia Mosin Al Zayla | |
| 2006-06-24 | 00058 | Musa Abed Al Wahab | |
| 2007-11-09 | 00059 | Sultan Ahmed Dirdeer Musa Al Uwaydha | |
| 2007-07-15 | 00062 | Muhamad Naji Subhi Al Juhani |
|
| 2022-03-06 | 00063 | Mohammed al-Qahtani |
|
| 2006-05-18 | 00064 | Abdel Hadi Mohammed Badan Al Sebaii Sebaii |
|
| 2007-07-15 | 00066 | Yahya Samil Al Suwaymil Al Sulami |
|
| 2007-11-09 | 00068 | Khalid Saud Abd Al Rahman Al Bawardi | |
| 2003-05-14 | 00071 | Mish'al Muhammad Rashid Al-Shedocky |
|
| 2006-06-24 | 00073 | Yusif Khalil Abdallah Nur | |
| 2007-12-28 | 00074 | Mesh Arsad Al Rashid |
|
| 2007-09-05 | 00079 | Fahed Al Harazi |
Saudi rehabilitation
An article published on July 26, 2007, by Asharq Alawsat detailed the Care Rehabilitation Center, which accommodates repatriated detainees prior to their release. The center provides specialized dietary options, access to satellite television, and opportunities for day passes.
On November 2, 2008, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid a visit to the facility, engaging with several former Guantanamo detainees. During his visit near Riyadh, he conversed with six individuals and greeted two men who had been held at Guantanamo Bay for six years on suspicions of al-Qaida involvement.
External links
- Saudi captives Guantanamo detainee assessment briefs
- Detainee Transfer Announced – United States Department of Defense, July 16, 2007
- More Gitmo Detainees Come Home – Arab News, July 17, 2007
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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