FRANCE: UPDATE ON TRANSFERRED GUANTANAMO DETAINEES

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001711 SIPDIS STATE FOR S/WCI E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2015 TAGS: PTER KTIA KAWC PHUM PINR OPDC PREL FR SUBJECT: FRANCE: UPDATE ON TRANSFERRED GUANTANAMO DETAINEES REF: STATE 45506 Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, FOR REAS ONS 1.4 B/D (C) Per reftel, Post lists the names and status of the seven French citizen ex-Guantanamo detainees transferred to French custody: -- Brahim Yadel, transferred to French custody on July 27, 2004; Yadel has been charged with "terrorist conspiracy," which carries with it a maximum sentence of ten years. He is currently in pretrial detention. No date has been fixed for the trial, although we understand it may begin by late 2005/early 2006. -- Mourad Benchellali, transferred to French custody on July 27, 2004; Benchellali has been charged with "terrorist conspiracy," which carries with it a maximum sentence of ten years. He is currently in pretrial detention. No date has been fixed for the trial, although we understand it may begin by late 2005/early 2006. -- Nizar Sassi, transferred to French custody on July 27, 2004; Sassi has been charged with "terrorist conspiracy," which carries with it a maximum sentence of ten years. He is currently in pretrial detention. No date has been fixed for the trial, although we understand it may begin by late 2005/early 2006. -- Imad Kanouni, transferred to French custody on July 27, 2004; Kanouni has been charged with "terrorist conspiracy," which carries with it a maximum sentence of ten years. He is currently in pretrial detention. No date has been fixed for the trial, although we understand it may begin by late 2005/early 2006. -- Khaled Ben Mustafa, transferred to French custody on March 7, 2005; Ben Mustafa has been charged with "terrorist conspiracy," which carries with it a maximum sentence of ten years. He is currently in pretrial detention. No date has been fixed for the trial, although we understand it may begin by late 2005/early 2006. -- Ridouane Khalid, transferred to French custody on March 7, 2005; Khalid has been charged with "terrorist conspiracy," which carries with it a maximum sentence of ten years. He was released on bail under judicial supervision March 12, although the GOF is appealing his release. No date has been fixed for the trial, although we understand it may begin by late 2005/early 2006. -- Mustaq Ali Patel, transferred to French custody on March 7, 2005; Patel (declared in February 2005 by the Department of Defense not to be an enemy combatant) was released from French custody on March 9. No charges have been filed against him, and he is expected to return to the French island territory of Reunion, where his family lives. Leach