that decision was made by the Pentagon. On Wednesday, December 23, 2015 at 10:25:01 AM UTC-6, Travis wrote: > > > > > > > > > > http://www.hstoday.us/columns/the-kimery-report/blog/in-keeping-his-pledge-to-empty-out-gitmo-obama-releases-hardened-al-qaeda-other-jihadists-pentagon-deemed-most-high-risk/cbf530fdbc22854a69976d9c9bf6c892.html > > > > In Keeping His Pledge to Empty Out GITMO, Obama Releases Hardened Al > Qaeda, Other Jihadists Pentagon Deemed Most ‘High Risk’ > > *September 28, 2015* > > By: Anthony Kimery, Editor-in-Chief > > During the last two months, the Obama administration -- in its continuing > effort to close down Joint Task Force-Guantanamo (JTF-GITMO) -- has > released four more Al Qaeda members the Pentagon earlier repeatedly > considered to be a “high risk” of reengaging in jihad if freed. > > > > The latest detainee released, Saudi-born British resident Shakir Abd Al > Rahim Muhammad Aamer, had been “assessed to be a high risk, as he is likely > to pose a threat to the US, its interests and allies,” stated a leaked > JTF-GITMO assessment report about him > <http://www.hstoday.us/fileadmin/PDFs/Shaker_Aamer.pdf>. > > > > The Pentagon’s reasons for his continued detention was because he “is a > member of Al Qaeda, with significant ties to senior level extremists, to > include Usama Bin Laden … held a senior level position among the UK based > Al Qaeda cell, is a reported facilitator, recruiter and financier and is > associated with Al Qaeda cells inside the US. Detainee was an assessed > combatant sub-Commander in Tora Bora where he participated in hostilities > against US and Coalition forces,” and “has lengthy ties to militant jihad > and has received basic and advanced training, to include explosives > training.” > > > > According to his previously secret Guantanamo case file, he “admitted” > associating with “Shoebomber” Richard Reid, and was a roommate of Zaccarias > Moussoui, the convicted 9/11 plotter. > > > > Furthermore, Aamer “has shown a willingness to become a martyr for his > cause.” > > > > His leaked JTF-GITMO assessment disclosed that he “has expressed a desire > to become a martyr and gave indications of attacking US citizens upon > release,” and that … he would be happy to be a martyr for his religion.” > > > > He also stated “the United States would, and should, fall because it has > become an unjust nation and God would take his revenge on the United States > for the unlawful imprisonment of innocent Muslims just as himself.” > > > > He further “stated it was honorable that the insurgents in Iraq were > willing to give their lives for what they believed was a noble cause.” > > > > Then Guantanamo commander, Rear Admiral Mark H Buzby, detailed DoD’s > concerns that Aamer would seek to launch a terrorist attack against the > United States if he were ever to be freed in his November 1, 2007 JTF-GITMO > assessment report. > > > > In January, Obama stated he would ‘prioritize’ the release of Aamer, who > other GITMO detainees consider to be their leader, and who was cleared for > release by the Bush administration in 2007, at the same time the Pentagon > said he should remain under DoD detention because of the “high risk” he > posed to the US, its allies and interests. > > > > But that same year, the British Foreign Office said Aamer should not be > freed because of “significant additional security concerns.” Nevertheless, > he was subsequently cleared for release in 2010 by the Guantánamo Review > Task Force in which six US intelligence agencies, including the CIA and > FBI, reputedly agreed he no longer posed a threat to the United States or > its allies. > > > > In a letter from the then UK Foreign Secretary William Hague to Aamer’s > lawyer, Aamer had apparently only been cleared for transfer back to his > native Saudi Arabia. > > > > But under the terms of his release, he is being transferred to British > security authorities instead. > > > > The British-based Save Shaker Aamer compaign has long alleged > <http://saveshaker.org/wikileaks-file-proves-that-shaker-aamer-should-be-released/60> > > that, “The Guantanamo files confirm that Guantanamo is a colossal crime > against humanity committed against those who were rounded up as part of the > frantic search by the US for intelligence on Osama Bin Laden. They are > victims, expendable in the pursuit of vengeance for 9/11.” > > > > In November 2014, an *Al Jazeera* report stated, “Cleared for release for > more than seven years, Aamer should be freed immediately.” He was among > dozens of detained jihadists the American Civil Liberties Union stated > Obama approved for release in 2012 > <https://www.aclu.org/files/assets/list_of_guantanamo_prisoners_approved_for_transfer.pdf>. > > > > > > > > *The release of Shalabi* > > > > Abdul Shalabi, who is believed to have been a bodyguard for Bin Laden, was > transferred to Saudi Arabia earlier this month, the Defense Department > announced last week. > > > > Shalabi's transfer from Guantanamo is the third detainee released in less > than a week, leaving 114 former “high-value targets” still in custody. > > > > On June 15, a Periodic Review Board (PRB) review consisting of > representatives from the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice > and State; the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Office of the Director of > National Intelligence, determined continued law of war detention of Shalabi > “does not remain necessary to protect against a continuing significant > threat to the security of the United States. > > > > As a result of that review, which examined a number of factors, including > security issues, Shalabi was recommended for transfer by consensus of the > six departments and agencies comprising the Periodic Review Board,” the > Pentagon announced. > > > > The PRB process was established by Obama’s March 7, 2011 Executive Order > 13567 > <https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/03/07/executive-order-13567-periodic-review-individuals-detained-guant-namo-ba>. > > > > > > In accordance with statutory requirements, the secretary of defense > informed Congress of the United States' intent to transfer Shalabi and of > his determination that this transfer meets the statutory standard. > > > > In 2007 and again in 2008, JTF-GTMO recommended Shalabi continue to be > detained under DoD control primarily because he “has familial ties to Usama > Bin Laden and has demonstrated his hatred for Americans at JTF-GTMO and > will likely reestablish ties to Al Qaeda and other extremist elements if > released,” stated his leaked classified JTF-GITMO file > <http://www.hstoday.us/fileadmin/PDFs/Abdul_Shalabi.pdf>. > > > > The same 2008 file also reasoned that he “will require a long-term, > dedicated plan to solicit information of intelligence value.” > > > > Shalabi “is a member of Al Qaeda and a long-term bodyguard for Usama Bin > Laden, serving in that position beginning in 1999,” his secret 2008 PRB > report disclosed, noting he’d “received specialized close combat training > for his role as a suicide operative in an aborted component of the 11 > September 2001 Al Qaeda attacks.” He also “participated in hostilities > against US and Coalition forces and was captured with a group referred to > as the Dirty 30, which included [Bin Laden] bodyguards and an assessed 20th > September 11, 2001 hijacker.” > > > > He also “received basic militant and advanced training at Al Qaeda > associated training camps.” > > > > The Department of Defense transfered Shalabi to the government of the > Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, saying, "The United States is grateful to the > government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its willingness to support > ongoing US efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. The > United States coordinated with the government of the Kingdom of Saudi > Arabia to ensure this transfer took place consistent with appropriate > security and humane treatment measures.” > > > > > > *The first release since September* > > > > The first detainee released since September was Libyan national Omar > Mohammed Khalif Abu Bakr > <http://www.hstoday.us/columns/the-kimery-report/blog/another-high-risk-al-qaeda-tied-gitmo-detainee-to-be-released/3c4bb2c056bc275e33a63515a2d5e5f5.html>, > > who’d been determined by the JTF-GITMO PRB that detaining Khalif “is no > longer necessary to protect against a continuing significant threat to the > security of the United States.” > > > > The PRB said Abu Bakr’s deteriorating health and “constructive role in the > detention environment” are factors in the administration’s decision to > order his release. > > > > “While the board acknowledges the detainee’s past terrorist-related > activities and connections, it found that the risk the detainee presents > can be adequately mitigated,” the PRB concluded -- a decision glaringly at > odds with past recent decisions that Abu Bakr should remain in DOD custody > because of the “high risk” danger he was assessed to pose to the US and its > interests. > > > > > > *Chekkouri’s release* > > > > Earlier, Younis Abdurrahman Chekkouri was transferred from GITMO to > Morocco. > > > > Agence France-Presse reported there’s no indication whether Chekkouri will > be imprisoned in Morocco, put under house arrest or simply set free. He was > not immediately freed upon arrival in Morocco. > > > > The Pentagon said Chekkouri was sent home to Morocco following a > "comprehensive" PRB security review. But in 2007, and again in 2008, > JTF-GITMO stated Chekkouri should continue to be detained under DoD control > because, “If released without rehabilitation, close supervision and means > to successfully reintegrate into his society as a law-abiding citizen, it > is assessed detainee would probably seek out prior associates and reengage > in hostilities and extremist support activities.” > > > > “Since his transfer to JTF-GTMO, detainee has been somewhat compliant with > the guard force, but has one incident of threatening to kill a guard. He is > non- cooperative with debriefers and withholds information of intelligence > value, probably indicating his continued support for Islamic extremism,” a > leaked secret 2008 JTF-GITMO report on Chekkouri stated > <http://www.hstoday.us/fileadmin/PDFs/Younis_Abdurrahman_Chekkouri.pdf>. > > > > Continuing, the formerly “secret” report said he “co-founded the Moroccan > Islamic Fighting Group (GICM) and served as the head of its Military > Commission.” > > > > He also “formerly oversaw GICM operations in Afghanistan, Syria and > Turkey. Detainee is assessed to have been a close Usama Bin Laden associate > who played a central role in coordinating mutual support between the GICM > and Al Qaeda, to include providing GICM fighters to support Al Qaeda combat > operations in Afghanistan and terrorist attacks in Europe.” > > > > GICM is believed to be responsible for deadly bombings in Casablanca in > 2003 and Madrid in 2004. > > > > Chekkouri also was “assessed to have engaged in hostilities against US and > Coalition forces as the GICM senior commander on the Bagram front lines and > at Tora Bora, and was captured with other extremist fighters fleeing Tora > Bora. Detainee ran the Moroccan Training Camp at the Derunta Training > Complex and trained militant fighters in explosive detonators, chemical > weapons and military tactics at the Algerian Guesthouse in Jalalabad > [Afghanistan] and at Derunta. Detainee has familial ties to the GICM and Al > Qaeda members, including former JTF-GTMO detainees who have attempted to > reconstitute the GICM.” > > > > In 2008, he was “assessed to be a high risk who is likely to reaffiliate > with the Al Qaeda network as a senior commander and resume hostilities upon > release.” > > > > Nevertheless, the Pentagon said the interagency Guantanamo Review Task > Force conducted a comprehensive review of his case, and that as a result of > that review -- which examined a number of factors, including security > issues -- Chekkouri was unanimously approved for transfer by the six > departments and agencies comprising the task force. > > > > "The United States coordinated with the government of Morocco to ensure > this transfer took place consistent with appropriate security and humane > treatment measures," a Pentagon spokesman said. > > > > > > *The others* > > > > A week after the one-year travel ban expired for the five “high risk” > former top Taliban- and Al Qaeda-linked Guantanamo detainees who were > exchanged for captured US Army Sgt. Robert Bergdahl (allowing the Taliban > jihadists to return to Afghanistan and rejoin the jihad against the West > and America), the Obama administration released another six “high risk” > Yemeni Al Qaeda operatives > <http://www.hstoday.us/columns/the-kimery-report/blog/six-more-high-risk-gitmo-detainees-released-by-obama-lawmaker-calls-it-reckless/3707d3bac4b4ae266e31e2a407c0a62b.html> > > to Oman in a move that infuriated both Republicans and Democrats, as > lawmakers ruminate new restrictions on further transfers. > > > > Yemen is home to Al Qaeda’s most dangerous affiliate, Al Qaeda in the > Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The transfers of the Yemeni detainees were made > in spite of the fact Obama’s own intelligence advisors confirmed one-third > of released detainees have re-engaged in jihad. > > > > *Homeland Security Today* reported in-depth in its January 22, 2015 > report, *There Will be Blood: Freeing the Vilest of the Vile from GITMO* > <http://www.hstoday.us/columns/the-kimery-report/blog/there-will-be-blood-freeing-the-vilest-of-the-vile-from-gitmo/31e8f365252c825c96038bc24ff4eee7.html>, > > that the five senior Taliban- Al Qaeda-linked detainees the administration > released in June 2014 were freed because the administration has > consistently claimed that the remaining GITMO detainees – the last and most > dangerous of whom pose a high risk of re-engaging in jihad -- is because > “GITMO continues to inspire violent acts around the globe.” > > > > “We are committed to closing the detention facility. That’s our goal and > we are working toward that goal,” Ian Moss, a spokesman for the Department > of State on GITMO issues has said. > > > > In his January 20, 2015 State of the Union address, Obama stated, “As > Americans, we have a profound commitment to justice. So it makes no sense > to spend $3 million per prisoner to keep open a prison that the world > condemns and terrorists use to recruit. (Applause). Since I’ve been > President, we’ve worked responsibly to cut the population of GITMO in half. > Now it is time to finish the job. And I will not relent in my determination > to shut it down. It is not who we are. It’s time to close GITMO. > (Applause).” > > > > Yet, in November, 2012, the Obama administration pressured Iraq not to > release senior Hezbollah leader Ali Mussa Daqduq -- who’d been captured by > US troops in Basra on March 20, 2007 and eventually turned over to Iraq for > prosecution -- because the administration believed he’d likely commit more > acts of terrorism against US forces if he were released. The US said the > Hezbollah operative was guilty of kidnapping, torturing and murdering US > soldiers in Iraq. Two Iraqi courts found him not guilty and ordered his > release against the US’s wishes. > > > > The contrast to the administration’s release of potentially dangerous > Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives – both organizations share the same goal; > global jihad – couldn’t be any more glaring. > > > > Indeed. Officials said there’s a high recidivism rate among the most > hardened jihadists so far released. If that’s true, then the release of > Taliban and Al Qaeda members this year whom the Department of Defense > declared several times should not be released because of the risk they > pose, is at odds with Obama’s executive order “to effect the appropriate > disposition of individuals currently detained and promptly close” GITMO in > a manner that’s “consistent with the national security and foreign policy > interests of the United States.” > > > > National Security Council spokesman Ned Price repeated Obama’s argument > that keeping GITMO open gives Islamist jihadists a reason to carry out > attacks against the United States. > > > > “As the president has repeatedly made clear, the administration is > determined to close the” facility, Price said. “We are taking all possible > steps to reduce the detainee population at Guantanamo and to close the > detention facility in a responsible manner.” > > > > "It is not in our national security interest to continue to detain > individuals if we as a government have determined that they can be > transferred from Guantanamo responsibly,” stated said Ian Moss, who works > on detainee transfers at the State Department. > > > > > > *Analysis* > > > > “Not in our national interest to continue to detain them?” sarcastically > quipped one of several counterterrorism officials *Homeland Security > Today* earlier interviewed on background because they aren’t authorized > to discuss the matter. > > > > This “doesn’t seem to me to be consistent with protecting our national > security … or, as the President said in his State of the Union address, > working responsibly to cut GITMO’s population!” the official said. > > > > “There’s just not much intel to back up [the administration’s reasoning] > for letting these terrorists loose. There’s just not,” another one of the > counterterrorism officials earlier expressed to *Homeland Security Today*. > > > > > “So, let me get this straight; releasing hardened, devoutly Islamist > jihadists – the true believers whose minds aren’t going to be changed -- is > going to stop Al Qaeda, its affiliates, ISIS and other jihad groups and > organizations to suddenly stop recruiting and carrying out jihad? That's > just messed up,” another official stated. > > > > Rep. Howard P. McKeon (R-Calif.) chairman of the House Armed Services > Committee, and Sen. James Inofe (R-Okla.), ranking member of the Senate > Armed Services Committee, stated in a joint statement last year that the > administration’s release of so many of the most dangerous jihadists “may > have consequences for the rest of our forces and all Americans. Our > terrorist adversaries now have a strong incentive to capture Americans.” > > > > The war on terror has reached a lethal phase, and it is insane to be > letting these people out of GITMO to go back to the fight,” said Sen. > Lindsey Graham (R-SC). > > > > “It’s extremely troubling that the Obama administration has sent six > dangerous terrorists to Oman, which borders Yemen -- a country engulfed in > civil war and that serves as the headquarters for Al Qaeda’s most dangerous > affiliate," said Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), a member of the Senate Committee > on Armed Services. > > > > But, "Even more disturbing,” Ayotte said, “is the fact that the > administration has not provided sufficient assurances to Congress or to the > public that these terrorists will not return to the battlefield. If they > are not securely detained, no one should be surprised if they travel to > Yemen and re-engage in terrorist activities," she said. > > > > Following the administration’s June release of five top Taliban leaders > who are among the fundamentalist group’s most extreme and dangerous as part > of a prisoner exchange for Bergdahl, *Homeland Security Today* > Contributing Writer Godfrey Garner (who retired from US Special Forces in > 2006 having served two military tours and six civilian government related > tours in Afghanistan) wrote, “Professionals in the Intelligence Community > are convinced these men will return to the religiously mandated jihad > against America and will be welcomed back with open arms, free to renew > their formal ties with Al Qaeda. And in light of their ‘heroic’ time in > enemy captivity, they will be hailed as idols seen as having been > victorious against America. Fueled by their stature and their renewed > commitment to jihad, they will be an asset to Al Qaeda/Taliban anti-America > efforts.” > > > > “While the political implications of their release will be debated for > some time, the truth about what their release means is nothing short of > prophetic. Few can argue that their return to jihad is anything but a > foregone conclusion,” Garner stated. “Their release and perceived victory > will be used by Taliban and Al Qaeda commanders to strengthen the morale > and commitment of their fighters and girder the already growing jihadist > infrastructure in the region.” And, “This reinforced foundation will in > time serve as an impetus that will result in a resurgent terrorist base of > operations in Afghanistan as well as other Al Qaeda bases of operations in > the region.” > > > > In other words, the administration’s release of admittedly dangerous > Islamist jihadists has become a far better recruitment tool than the > administration’s reason for shutting down GITMO in the first place, if > intelligence authorities are correct, and it would increasingly appear they > are. > > > > With that said, it’s very likely more than just a few of the Al Qaeda and > Taliban detainees recently released from GITMO will soon appear on jihadi > recruitment posters ... and on the field of battle against the US and the > West. > > > > > __._,_.___ > ------------------------------ > Posted by: "Beowulf" < > ...
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