Detainee Transfer Announced
July 19, 2010

The Department of Defense announced today the transfer of two detainees from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Governments of Algeria and Cape Verde.

As directed by the President’s January 22, 2009 executive order, the interagency Guantanamo Review Task Force conducted a comprehensive review of these cases. As a result of that review, which examined a number of factors, including security issues, the detainees were approved for transfer by unanimous consent among all the agencies involved in the task force. In accordance with Congressionally mandated reporting requirements, the administration informed Congress of its intent to transfer these individuals at least 15 days before their transfer.

Abdul Aziz Naji was repatriated to his native Algeria, and Abd-al-Nisr Mohammed Khantumani was resettled in Cape Verde. The United States is grateful to the governments of Algeria and Cape Verde for their willingness to support U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. The United States coordinated with the governments of Algeria and Cape Verde to ensure the transfers took place under appropriate security measures.

Since 2002, more than 600 detainees have departed Guantanamo Bay for other destinations, including Albania, Algeria, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belgium, Bermuda, Chad, Denmark, Egypt, Georgia, France, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Pakistan, Palau, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Somalia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom and Yemen.

Today, 178 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay.