List of Algerian detainees at Guantanamo Bay

The United States Department of Defense acknowledges holding approximately one dozen Algerian detainees in Guantanamo. ^[1] However an Algerian government press release, on August 21, 2016, said that they had been tracking 28 Algerian captives. ^[2] Both US and Algerian governments agreed just two captives remained in US custody.

A total of 778 detainees have been held in the Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba since the camps opened on January 11, 2002. ^[1]

The camp population peaked in early 2004 at approximately 660 before numerous detainees were released. Only nineteen new captives, all "high value detainees," have been transferred there since the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Rasul v. Bush (2004), which said that detainees had the habeas corpus right to challenge their detention before an impartial tribunal. As of December 2024 ^[update] , 27 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay. ^[3]

On March 3, 2008, an Algerian delegation visited Guantanamo. ^[4] At that time DOD reported seventeen Algerian nationals remaining in Guantanamo.

Release negotiations

On June 23, 2008, the Algerian newspaper El Khabar quoted Farouk Ksentini, the head of Algeria's Advisory Human Rights Commission, about negotiations over the Guantanamo detainees' repatriation. ^[5] According to Al Khabar, Ksentini reported that the US had insisted on unacceptable conditions unacceptable to Algeria for transfer of the detainees to their country of origin. The article stated that Sandra Hodgkinson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Detainee Affairs, had not been telling "the entire truth".

The Department of Defense announced on July 2, 2008, that it had repatriated two Algerians. ^[6] The department withheld the Algerians' identities without explanation.

On July 3, 2008 Carol Rosenberg of the Miami Herald reported that the two repatriated Algerians were Mustafa Hamlily and Abdul Raham Hourari. ^[7]

The Department of Defense announced on August 30, 2013, that it had repatriated two additional Algerians, who were identified as Nabil Hadjarab and Mutij Sayyab. This would bring the total number of remaining detainees at Guantanamo to 164.

Algerian detainees in Guantanamo

isn	name	arrival date	departure date	notes
70	Abdul Rahim Houari	2002-02-08	2008-07-02	Allegedly trained at an Afghan military camp. [8] [9] Repatriated on July 2, 2008. [10]
175	Hassan Mujamma Rabai Said	2002-05-01	2009-01-17	Allegedly named on a list of persons associated with a senior al Qaeda member," from captured hard drives. [11] Allegedly "attended the Al Farouq training camp." [11] Allegedly an "Osama bin Laden bodyguard". [11] Allegedly captured with thirty other Arabs on December 15, 2001. [11] Allegedly served as a supply clerk in Tora Bora. [11] Allegedly named on multiple suspicious lists. [12] Held in Guantanamo as of November 25, 2008.	Allegedly attended the Finsbury Park Mosque in London, United Kingdom. [13] Allegedly stayed at Zacharia's house in Jalalabad in 2001. Zacharia allegedly gave him a rifle for self-defense. [14] Allegedly met someone who planned to set off a radiological bomb in the USA. [14] Denied receiving military training in Afghanistan. [14] Denied knowing anyone in Al Qaida. [14] Denied engaging in any hostilities. [14] Denied knowing Afghanistan was a haven for terrorists. [14] Still held in Guantanamo.as of August 10, 2013. [15] On hunger strike, as of August 2013 [15] Transferred to Algeria on August 29, 2013. [16]
284	Mohammed 'Abd Al Qadir	2002-01-21	2008-08-25	Allegedly trained at an Afghan military camp. [17] Allegedly stayed at a suspect guest house. [17] Allegedly a member of suspect groups. [17] Repatriated on August 26, 2008. [18] Repatriated on August 25, 2008. [10]
288	Mutij Sadiz Ahmad Sayab	2002-01-21	2013-08-28	Allegedly stayed at suspect guest houses. [19] Arrested after fleeing to Pakistan two weeks after 9–11. [19] Allegedly knew about the attacks of 9–11. [20] Still held in Guantanamo as of November 25, 2008. [10] Transferred to Algeria on August 29, 2013. [16]
290	Ahmed Bin Saleh Bel Bacha	2002-02-09	2014-03-13	Allegedly attended the Finsbury Park Mosque in London United Kingdom. [21] Allegedly stayed at suspect guest house. [21] Allegedly stayed with al Qaeda leaders in Afghanistan. [22] Allegedly met Osama bin Laden. [22] Repatriated on March 13, 2014. [23]
292	Abdulli Feghoul	2002-02-15	2008-08-25	Repatriated on August 26, 2008. [10] [18]
310	Djamel Ameziane	2002-02-12	2013-12-05	Allegedly worshipped at suspicious mosques in Montreal. [24] Allegedly stayed at suspect guest houses in Afghanistan. [24] Allegedly traveled through Tora Bora during the American aerial bombardment of Afghanistan. Allegedly present when other detainees attempted to escape after a bush crash. [25] Repatriated on 2013-12-05. [26]
311	Farhi Saeed bin Mohammed	2002-02-11		Tribunal panel 15 convened on both 21 October 2004 and 27 October 2004, and confirmed Saiid Farhi's "enemy combatant" status in his absence. [27] Lived in Europe during the 1990s. [28] Allegedly trained at an Afghanistan military camp. [28] Testified that he traveled to Afghanistan in mid-2001 solely to get married. Testified that he had never heard of al Qaeda prior to its attacks on 9–11. [29] Traveled on a stolen passport. [30] Passed by, and stopped at a funeral that might have been attended by Osama bin Laden. [31] Still held in Guantanamo as of November 25, 2008. [10]
533	Hassan Zumiri	2002-05-01	2010-01-20	Allegedly traveled on a stolen passport. [32] Loaned Ahmed Ressam $3,500 and a video camera, prior to his attempt to bomb Los Angeles Airport. [33] Allegedly engaged in bank fraud during the five years he spent in Canada. [34]
659	Sameur Abdenour	2002-06-16	2007-12-19	Allegedly trained at an Afghan military camp. [35] Testified he was a legal resident of the United Kingdom, and that he had traveled legally to Afghanistan. [36] Returned to the UK along with three other legal residents on December 19, 2007. He was questioned and released without charges the next day. [10]
694	Sufyian Barhoumi	2002-06-18	2022-04-02	Faces charges before a Guantanamo military commission. [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] Captured in the same Faisalabad safe house as four other detainees who faced charges before a Guantanamo military commission. [42] Alleged to be a bomb-maker, allegedly trained others in how to make bombs. [42] Allegedly trained at Afghan military camps. [42] Lost fingers during an explosion. [42] He says he lost his finger being trained to clear land mines. US intelligence claims he lost his fingers when receiving military training. Attended his Tribunal with his legs in bandages, told his Tribunal his wounds were the result of abuse at Guantanamo. [43] Denied allegations he planned to plant bombs in the USA. [43]
703	Ahmed bin Kadr Labed	2002-08-05	2008-11-10	Allegedly trained at an Afghan military training camp. [44] Captured in safe house in Faisalabad with five other men who were to face charges before a Guantanamo military camp. [44] Allegedly served on the front line. [44] Allegedly spent most of the 1990s supporting himself with petty crime in Europe. [45] Ahmed claimed he traveled to Afghanistan to buy drugs. [46] Confirmed serving on the third, support line when the Taliban faced the Northern Alliance, in late 2001. [46] Alleged to have been smuggled from Afghanistan to Pakistan in December 2001 with José Padilla, and to have had knowledge of the dirty bomb that American counter-terrorism resources had once believed Padilla had been involved with. [46]
705	Mustafa Ahmed Hamlily	2002-08-05	2008-07-02	Worked for charities that were suspected of ties to al Qaeda. [47] Testified he spent ten years as a humanitarian aid worker in Pakistan. [48] Repatriated on July 2, 2008. [7]
718	Fethi Boucetta	2002-08-05	2006-11-17	Arrested in the Pakistani refugee camp where he both lived and worked. Had never been to Afghanistan, and denied any ties to terrorism. Determined never to have been an enemy combatant after all. Transferred to a refugee camp in Albania on November 17, 2006. [10]
744	Aziz Abdul Naji	2002-08-05	2010-07-20	Won his habeas corpus. Transferred to Algeria against his will.
939	Mammar Ameur	2003-03-23	2008-10-06	Allegedly captured in a "safe house". [49] Worked for a charity alleged to have an association with a terrorist group. [49] His Personal Representative refused to leave copies of the OARDEC documents he was required to provide to him in violation of rules for conducting Tribunals. [50] The testimony of the witness he requested was ruled "not reasonably available". [50] Testified he was captured in his family home, not a safe house. [50] Testified that the allegation presented to his Tribunal were all false, and that some were brand new—allegations that had never been asked during his many interrogations. [50] Repatriated on 2008 October 8. [51] [52] [53] [54]
1016	Soufian Abar Huwari	2003-05-09	2008-10-06
1452	Adil Hadi bin Hamlili		2010-01-20

Algerian Six

Guantanamo also contains six citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina who were born in Algeria, who are known as the "Algerian Six".

Repatriation

The Department of Defense has acknowledged repatriating seven Algerians: Abdul Raham Houari, Mohammed Abd Al Al Qadir, Sameur Abdenour, Mustafa Ahmed Hamlily, Fethi Boucetta, Mammar Ameur, and Soufian Abar Huwari. The Department of Defense didn't reveal the men's names.

On April 3, 2009, at the G20 Summit in Strasbourg, French President Nicolai Sarkozy indicated France would offer asylum to a former Guantanamo detainee. ^{[55] [56]}

References

1. OARDEC (May 15, 2006). "List of Individuals Detained by the Department of Defense at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from January 2002 through May 15, 2006" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved September 29, 2007.
2. "Two Algerians still detained in Guantanamo: Algerian official". Xinhua. August 22, 2016. 'Out of the 26 inmates that had been identified in 2006, 18 were released and tried by the Algerian justice,' the statement said.
3. "The Guantánamo Docket". The New York Times. December 11, 2023. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
4. Devin Montgomery (March 2, 2008). "Algeria officials visit Guantanamo Bay detainees". The Jurist. Archived from the original on March 5, 2008. Retrieved March 3, 2008.
5. "Ksentini discloses details about Guantanamo detainees: Algeria US negotiations fail at four conditions". El Khabar. June 23, 2008. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 23, 2008.
6. "Detainee Transfer Announced". United States Department of Defense. July 2, 2008. Archived from the original on July 10, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2008.
7. Carol Rosenberg (July 3, 2008). "First Algerians repatriated from Gitmo". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on May 24, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
8. OARDEC. "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Houari" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. p. 87. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 2, 2007. Retrieved October 3, 2007.
9. Summarized transcript (.pdf), from Abdul Rahim Houari's Administrative Review Board hearing - page 102
10. OARDEC (October 9, 2008). "Consolidated chronological listing of GTMO detainees released, transferred or deceased" (PDF). Department of Defense. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 27, 2008. Retrieved December 28, 2008.
11. OARDEC (September 20, 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Bashir Ghalaab" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 80–81. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 7, 2008. Retrieved April 14, 2008.
12. OARDEC (March 19, 2006). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Said, Hassan Mujamma Rabai" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 55–56. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 7, 2008. Retrieved April 14, 2008.
13. OARDEC (September 18, 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Hadjarab, Nabil Said" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 65–66. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 25, 2008. Retrieved June 23, 2008.
14. OARDEC (July 6, 2005). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Hadjarab, Nabil" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 86–88. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 16, 2008. Retrieved June 23, 2008.
15. Grisham, John (August 10, 2013). "After Guantánamo, Another Injustice". The New York Times.
16. "TWO GITMO DETAINEES TRANSFERRED TO ALGERIA". United Press International. August 29, 2013.
17. OARDEC (September 21, 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Al Qadir, Mohammed Abd Al" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 27–28. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 7, 2008. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
18. "2 Guantanamo inmates transferred to Algeria". Associated Press. August 26, 2008. Archived from the original on August 27, 2008. Retrieved August 27, 2008.
19. OARDEC (September 17, 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Sayab, Mutij Sadiz Ahmad" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. p. 32. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 7, 2008. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
20. Army Sgt. Sarah Stannard (October 29, 2007). "OARDEC provides recommendations to Deputy Secretary of Defense". JTF Guantanamo Public Affairs. Archived from the original on May 20, 2010. Retrieved March 26, 2008.
21. OARDEC (October 1, 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Bel Bacha, Ahmed Bin Saleh" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 34–35. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 7, 2008. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
22. OARDEC (March 29, 2005). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Bel Bacha, Ahmed Bin Saleh" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 5–6. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 7, 2008. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
23. Carol Rosenberg (March 14, 2014). "U.S. repatriates once-resistant Guantánamo detainee to Algeria". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on March 14, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2014. The U.S. sent home to Algeria on Thursday a long-held Guantánamo captive who was cleared for return years ago but for a time sought resettlement elsewhere rather than repatriation to his civil-war stricken homeland.
24. OARDEC (September 30, 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Ameziane, Djamel Saiid Ali (published September 2007)" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 48–49. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 27, 2008. Retrieved March 1, 2008.
25. OARDEC (May 12, 2005). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Ameziane, Djamel Saiid Ali" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 11–13. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 16, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2008.
26. Margot Williams (November 3, 2008). "Guantanamo Docket: Djamel Saiid Ali Ameziane". New York Times . Retrieved March 17, 2014.
27. "Saiid Farhi v. George W. Bush -- 05-1347 (GK)" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. October 31, 2005. pp. 48–64. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 16, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2008.
28. OARDEC (September 29, 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Farhi, Saiid" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. p. 50. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 25, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2008. Works related to Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Farhi, Saiid at Wikisource
29. OARDEC. "Summarized Administrative Review Board Detainee Statement" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 84–94. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 16, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2008.
30. OARDEC (March 21, 2005). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Farhi, Saiid" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 28–29. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 16, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2008. Works related to Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Farhi, Saiid (2005-03-21) at Wikisource
31. OARDEC (March 21, 2005). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Farhi, Saiid" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 28–29. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 16, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2008. Works related to Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Farhi, Saiid (2006-02-20) at Wikisource
32. OARDEC (October 18, 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Zumiri, Hassan" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 57–58. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2007. Retrieved November 22, 2007.
33. OARDEC (October 31, 2005). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Zumiri, Hassan" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 91–94. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 4, 2007. Retrieved November 6, 2007.
34. OARDEC (November 1, 2006). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Zamiri, Hasan" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 20–22. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 16, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2008.
35. OARDEC (September 9, 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Sameur, Abdenour" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 24–25. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 27, 2008. Retrieved March 5, 2008.
36. OARDEC. "Summarized Detainee Statement" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 38–52. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 7, 2008. Retrieved March 5, 2008.
37. George W. Bush (July 6, 2004). "To the Secretary of Defense" (PDF). United States Department of Defense . Retrieved May 3, 2008. Accordingly, it is hereby ordered that, effective this date, Sufyian Barhoumi shall be subject to the Military Order of November 13, 2001.
38. John D. Alternburg Jr. (November 4, 2005). "Military Commission Case No. 05-0006" (PDF). United States Department of Defense . Retrieved May 3, 2008. The charges against Sufyian Barhoumi (a/k/a Abu Obaida, a/k/a Obaydah A1 Jaza'iri, a/k/a Shafiq) are approved.
39. "USA v. Barhoumi" (PDF). US Department of Defense. November 7, 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 16, 2007. Retrieved February 27, 2007.
40. Andrew Gilmore (May 30, 2008). "Pentagon files new charges against 3 Guantanamo detainees". The Jurist. Archived from the original on May 8, 2009. Retrieved June 1, 2008.
41. "Charge sheet (2008)" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. May 29, 2008. Retrieved June 1, 2008.
42. OARDEC (September 16, 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Detainee Sufyian Barhoumi" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. p. 61. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 7, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2008.
43. OARDEC. "Summarized Statement" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 24–38. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 11, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2008.
44. OARDEC (October 18, 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Labed, Ahmed Bin Kadr" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. p. 68. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 16, 2008. Retrieved June 23, 2008.
45. OARDEC (September 16, 2005). "Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Labed, Ahmed Bin Kadr" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 20–23. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 27, 2008. Retrieved June 23, 2008.
46. OARDEC (October 11, 2005). "Summary of Administrative Review Board Proceedings of ISN 703" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 107–122. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 27, 2015. Retrieved June 23, 2008.
47. OARDEC (September 16, 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Hamlily, Mustafa Ahmed" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. p. 71. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 16, 2008. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
48. OARDEC. "Summarized Sworn Detainee Statement" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 16–20. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 11, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
49. OARDEC (October 26, 2004). "Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Ameur, Mammar" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. p. 68. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 13, 2008. Retrieved March 7, 2008.
50. OARDEC. "Summarized Statement" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. pp. 61–80. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 18, 2016. Retrieved June 2, 2008.
51. "Two Guantanamo detainees transferred: Pentagon". Agence France Presse. October 8, 2008. Archived from the original on October 14, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
52. "Pentagon: Two Guantanamo Detainees Transferred". Voice of America. October 8, 2008. Archived from the original on October 11, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
53. "The US hands over Algeria a fifth Guantanamo prisoner". El Khabar. October 10, 2008. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2008.
54. Andy Worthington (October 8, 2008). "Two 50 Year Olds Are Released From Guantanamo". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on October 9, 2008. Retrieved October 9, 2008.
55. "Sarkozy says France to accept Guantanamo prisoner". Houston Chronicle. April 3, 2009. Archived from the original on April 3, 2009. Retrieved April 3, 2009.
56. Tom Raum (April 3, 2009). "Obama, Sarkozy find common ground on Guantanamo". Associated Press. Archived from the original on May 24, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2009.

External links

• Two Algerian Torture Victims Are Freed from Guantánamo Andy Worthington 25.1.2010
• "Six years from home – Guantánamo detainees from Bosnia and Herzegovina". Amnesty International. January 18, 2008. Archived from the original on January 22, 2008. Retrieved January 18, 2008.
• UN experts warn against sending detainees at torture-risk
• Obama and US Courts Repatriate Algerian from Guantánamo Against His Will; May Be Complicit in Torture Andy Worthington 21.7.2010

1. Countries of Citizenship of Guantanamo detainees from the New York Times