Detainee Transfer Announced
November 03, 2005

The Department of Defense announced today that it transferred five detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Kuwait. This movement increases the number of detainees who have departed Guantanamo Bay to 252.

These detainees were recommended for transfer by the administrative review board.

There are ongoing processes to review the status of detainees. A determination about the continued detention or transfer of a detainee is based on the best information and evidence available at the time. The circumstances in which detainees are apprehended can be ambiguous, and many of the detainees are highly skilled in concealing the truth.

During the course of the war on terrorism, the department expects that there will be other transfers or releases of detainees.

Because of operational and security considerations, no further details can be provided.

With this transfer, DoD has transferred or released 252 detainees from Guantanamo Bay – 179 for release and 73 transferred to other governments, including Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, United Kingdom, Kuwait, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain and Sweden.

There are approximately 500 detainees currently at Guantanamo Bay.