Muhammad Jafar Jamal al-Kahtani
Muhammad Jafar Jamal al-Kahtani | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1973 Saudi Arabia |
| Occupation(s) | Detainee, alleged al-Qaeda operative |
| Known for | Escape from Bagram Theater Internment Facility; involvement with al-Qaeda |
Muhammad Jafar Jamal al-Kahtani (born in 1973) is a Saudi national who was subjected to extrajudicial detention at the United States' Bagram Theater Internment Facility. He was among four detainees involved in a notable breakout from Bagram on July 11, 2005. At first, US authorities did not disclose his true identity or that of fellow escapee Omar al Farouq.
Reporters Eric Schmitt and Tim Golden of the New York Times noted that US intelligence assessments of al-Kahtani's role differed: one source claimed he managed Al Qaeda’s logistical support within Afghanistan, while another regarded him as a significant combatant but not a high-ranking leader.
Al-Kahtani and three others were confined in Cell 119, an isolation unit at Bagram, with plans reportedly in progress to relocate them to the Guantanamo Bay detention camps located in Cuba.
Later in 2005, al-Kahtani appeared publicly in an al Qaeda video. This was verified by Radio Free Europe in October 2005, where he was seen alongside other escapees.
On November 6, 2006, US officials announced the apprehension of a "known al Qaeda operative and five additional extremists" in Khost Province. One detainee was identified as the Saudi "Abu Nasir al-Qahtani," subsequently confirmed to be Muhammad Jafar Jamal al-Kahtani. The group was captured with grenades, military gear, armor-piercing ammunition, AK-47 rifles, and surveillance recordings of nearby military targets. A Taliban spokesperson revealed that al-Kahtani was detained at a safe house close to Khost Airport.
Al-Kahtani was repatriated to Saudi Arabia on April 29, 2007.