Sulaiman al-Nahdi

Sulaiman Awath Sulaiman Bin Ageel Al Nahdi
Born	(1974-12-01) December 1, 1974 Mukalla, Yemen
Occupation	Detainee at Guantanamo Bay detention facility
Years active	2002–2015 (detained)

Sulaiman Awath Sulaiman Bin Ageel Al Nahdi is a Yemeni national who was detained without formal charges at the United States' Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba from May 5, 2002, until November 16, 2015. He was assigned the Guantanamo Internment Serial Number 511. According to the Department of Defense, he was born on December 1, 1974, in Mukalla, Yemen.

Despite being approved for release in 2008, Al Nahdi remained in custody until late 2015, when he and five other Yemeni detainees were relocated to the United Arab Emirates.

Official status reviews

The Bush administration initially claimed that detainees captured in the context of the war on terror were not entitled to protections under the Geneva Conventions. This stance faced legal challenges advocating for proper tribunals to determine prisoners’ status as lawful combatants.

In response, the Department of Defense created Combatant Status Review Tribunals (CSRTs), which were tasked solely with confirming whether individuals met the administration’s criteria for enemy combatants, rather than establishing lawful combatant status under international law.

A 2008 study by the Brookings Institution, led by Benjamin Wittes, categorized detainees according to military allegations. Al Nahdi appeared among those who were:

• Accused of links to both Al Qaeda and the Taliban
• Reported to have traveled to Afghanistan with intent to engage in jihad
• Alleged to have stayed in safehouses associated with Al Qaeda, the Taliban, or other groups
• Said to have undergone military or terrorist training in Afghanistan
• Present at the battle of Tora Bora
• Identified through names or aliases found during raids on Al Qaeda facilities
• Classified as foreign fighters
• Denying affiliation but acknowledging facts supporting detention under laws of war
• Admitting participation in combat on behalf of Al Qaeda or the Taliban

Rather than attending his CSRT hearing personally, Al Nahdi submitted a written statement.

Al Nahdi's statement

Al Nahdi rejected the accusations against him as exaggerated. He explained that his journey to Afghanistan was motivated by concern for children and influenced by sermons and televised images from clerics. He confirmed that someone covered his travel expenses but did not disclose who. His travel occurred prior to the September 11, 2001 attacks and was unrelated to any anti-American activities. He denied involvement in hostilities between the Taliban and Northern Alliance forces.

He also refuted claims of al Qaeda membership, stating he had no knowledge of the group until his capture. Although he attended a training camp in Afghanistan and saw Osama bin Laden, he asserted no association or agreement with bin Laden’s ideology and maintained that bin Laden alone should be held responsible for his actions. Al Nahdi said he had promised his mother he would remain in Afghanistan for no more than six months.

During his time at Guantanamo, he reportedly maintained good conduct except for one incident where he threw juice at a guard after learning of his mother’s death. He took part in his Administrative Review Board hearing in 2005; a sixteen-page transcript was released by the Department of Defense.

Habeas corpus petition

In 2005, a habeas corpus petition was submitted on behalf of Al Nahdi. However, following enactment of the Military Commissions Act of 2006, such petitions were suspended by denying Guantanamo detainees access to U.S. civilian courts.

On June 12, 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Boumediene v. Bush that detainees retained their right to seek relief through federal courts, enabling habeas petitions to proceed. Courts were then empowered to evaluate whether sufficient evidence existed to justify classification as enemy combatants.

On July 17, 2008, attorney Richard G. Murphy Jr. filed a petition requesting that authorities provide thirty days' notice before transferring or removing Al Nahdi and six other detainees. This measure aimed to ensure legal counsel would be informed prior to any transfer outside U.S. jurisdiction, addressing concerns about detainees being sent to countries where they might face mistreatment despite ongoing habeas proceedings.

Life at Guantanamo

In 2008, the Cleveland Plain Dealer detailed initiatives aimed at offering mental engagement for detainees, including the employment of dedicated instructors for English and Arabic languages. Prisoners were also given opportunities to participate in introductory drawing and painting sessions, with art materials provided. Al Nahdi utilized the art class to craft a "greeting card" for his attorney, which was initially designated as "secret" by military censorship.

On the occasion of the camp’s tenth anniversary, reports from both Associated Press and McClatchy News Service emphasized that al-Nahdi remained in custody despite having been cleared for release several years prior.