Guantanamo Detainee Transfer Announced

Camp Delta, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2008 -- The U.S. Department of Defense announced today the transfer of three detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In November, a federal court judge, while acknowledging that the evidence was appropriate for use as intelligence (the purpose for which it was collected), concluded that the government had not carried its burden of proving in habeas corpus proceedings that these detainees were enemy combatants, subject to detention under the law of armed conflict. Following the court's decision, the government determined that the detainees should be transferred to their country of citizenship, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Approximately 60 detainees remain at Guantanamo who the U.S. government has determined to be eligible for transfer or release. Departure of these detainees is subject to ongoing discussions between the United States and other nations.

Since 2002, approximately 520 detainees have departed Guantanamo for other countries including Albania, Algeria, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, France, Great Britain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom and Yemen.

There are approximately 250 detainees currently at Guantanamo.

(Report from a U.S. Defense Department press release.)

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