Othman Ahmad Othman al-Ghamdi
Othman Ahmed Othman Al Omairah | |
|---|---|
| Born | 27 May 1979 Saudi Arabia |
| Died | 1 February 2015 (aged 35) |
| Occupation(s) | Detainee at Guantanamo Bay; Alleged militant commander |
| Known for | Detained at Guantanamo Bay; inclusion on Saudi and U.S. most wanted lists; killed in drone strike |
Othman Ahmed Othman Al Omairah (also spelled Othman Ahmad Othman al-Ghamdi; born May 27, 1979 – died February 2015) was a Saudi national detained without formal charges at the United States' Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba. His assigned Internment Serial Number was 184.
Discrepancies in Identification
Othman’s identity appeared inconsistently across official documents from both the US and Saudi authorities.
American records refer to him as Othman Ahmed Othman Al Omairah in detainee lists dated April 2006, May 2006, and September 2007, as well as in memoranda outlining accusations against him.
On June 25, 2006, the US repatriated fourteen individuals to Saudi Arabia, among whom was a detainee identified by Saudi officials as Othman Ahmad Othman al-Ghamdi. Nevertheless, Department of Defense documents suggest he held Yemeni citizenship.
Combatant Status Review
A Summary of Evidence memo prepared for his tribunal detailed the allegations made against him.[1]
Administrative Review Board
Those designated as "enemy combatants" following the Combatant Status Review Tribunal were subject to yearly Administrative Review Board hearings. These sessions evaluated the potential risks detainees might pose if released or transferred, alongside other considerations impacting their continued confinement.[2]
Summary of Evidence Memo
On September 20, 2005, a three-page Summary of Evidence memo was drafted for Othman Ahmed Othman Al Omairah’s Administrative Review Board hearing.[3] This document presented both reasons supporting his ongoing detention and arguments favoring release.
Guantanamo Records
No documentation indicates that Othman Ahmad Othman al-Ghamdi participated in either his Combatant Status Review Tribunal or his Administrative Review Board hearing.
Repatriation to Saudi Arabia
On June 25, 2006, fourteen detainees were transferred from Guantanamo to Saudi Arabia.[4] Among those freed was an individual identified by Saudi authorities as Othman Ahmad Othman al-Ghamdi.
Inclusion on Saudi "Most Wanted" List
The Saudi government released a list of eighty-five most wanted suspected terrorists on February 3, 2009, which featured "Othman Al-Ghamdi".[5] This compilation also contained ten other former Guantanamo detainees. Notably, half of these eleven ex-detainees had been returned to Saudi custody on November 9, 2007—despite annual assessments recommending their continued detention.
According to the Saudi Gazette, he "is believed to have traveled to a neighboring country" accompanied by his brother-in-law and fellow former detainee Adnan Al-Sayegh, leaving behind his spouse and child.[5]
Notification of Fahd Al Jutayli’s Death
The Yemen Post reported on September 27 that Othman al-Ghamdi and Yousuf Al-Shahri reached out to their families to report the death of Fahd Saleh Sulaiman Al-Jatili during an operation carried out by Yemeni security forces.
Alleged Appearance in Militant Footage
On May 28, 2010, Thomas Joscelyn reported in The Long War Journal that Othman Ahmed al Ghamdi, a former detainee at Guantanamo Bay, featured in an AQAP video entitled "America and the Final Trap." This footage, distributed by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, portrayed Othman as a commander and confirmed the deaths of three senior figures within the organization.
Inclusion on U.S. Most Wanted List
On October 14, 2014, al-Ghamdi was officially placed on the U.S. State Department's Rewards for Justice list.
Demise
Al-Ghamdi was killed during a drone operation in Yemen in February 2015. His death was later acknowledged by AQAP in September 2018.
External links
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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