Biden secretly releases 11 al Qaeda-linked prisoners including two former bodyguards for Osama bin Laden from Guantanamo Bay
SUMMARY
The Biden administration quietly transferred 11 al-Qaeda-linked terror prisoners from Guantanamo Bay to Oman as part of its effort to reduce the detainee population and close the facility. The Yemeni detainees, held for over two decades, include two alleged former bodyguards for Osama bin Laden. Defense Department statement claimed that the transfer followed a 'thorough interagency review' determining the men were 'no longer a threat to U.S. national security'. The transfer occurred covertly Monday, with Oman agreeing to resettle the detainees due to Yemen’s ongoing civil war. Among those released were individuals previously authorized for transfer in 2022. Some detainees have been linked to extremist plots, including a thwarted 9/11-style hijacking. Guantanamo Bay, established in 2002, has housed up to 800 detainees at its peak. The Biden administration aims to finally close the facility, a goal unfulfilled by prior administrations, including Barack Obama.
