TRANSFER OF GTMO DETAINEES TO YEMEN, JUNE 2007

S E C R E T SANAA 001145

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER KAWC YM
SUBJECT: TRANSFER OF GTMO DETAINEES TO YEMEN, JUNE 2007

Classified By: JHOOD

Classified By: P/E JHOOD, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (S/NF) Post confirms that on 19 June at between 1900 and
2100 local (1600 - 1800Z) Pol/Econ Officer Jed T. Dornburg
signed change of custody paperwork for the four GTMO
detainees listed below who were then transferred to the
control of the Yemeni Government through MFA official Hadi
HAIDRA. There were no media or family members at the airport
for what was a smooth and low)key handover.

US9SA-000678DP (YM ) 678) MAHDI, Fawaz Naman Hamoud Abdullah
(Bin Namen Fawz)
US9SA-000221DP (YM ) 221) SALIH, Ali Mohsen (Nasir, Ali
Muhsin Salih)
US9SA-000069DP (YM ) 069) ISMAIL, Sadeq Muhammad Said
(Sa,ad Sadik)
US9SA-000225DP (YM ) 225) AL-SHULAN, Hani Abdul Muslih
(Al-Shuj,lan, Hani Abdu Muslih)


2. (U) Poloff arrived at Sana,a International at
approximately 1815 local. DMO 73 flight from Guantanamo
landed at 1920. Yemeni officials from MFA and security
agencies were present for the hand-over.


3. (S) U.S. guards on the aircraft reported that SALIH,
ISMAIL, and AL-SHULAN refused drink and food for the duration
of the flight to Yemen (approximately 15 hours). SALIH in
addition wore a mask because he spat at guards.


4. (S) ISMAIL, AL-SHULAN and especially SALIH, appeared
stoic upon deplaning. They wore white jumpsuits and their
hands were restricted by flex-cuffs. They were ushered into
a waiting van, in which the Yemeni authorities removed the
flex-cuffs. The detainees' interactions with the Yemeni
authorities appeared non-combative and subdued.


5. (S) POLOFF signed for a duffle bag for each detainee
containing USG issued clothes and toiletries. Only SALIH had
personal belongings, consisting of various papers and
letters. MADHI had USG-issued medication. POLOFF handed
off the items including medical records for each of the
detainees to Yemeni authorities.


6. (U) POLOFF reported completion of the handover to NEA
Yemen Desk Officer at approximately 2050 local, and the plane
departed at 2053. POLOFF notified OPS center at 2115.


7. (S) SAID, Ali Muhammad Nasir Muhammad (US9SA-000179DP),a
detainee at Guantanamo, had been scheduled to be on DMO 73.
MFA asked that he not be returned at this time as the ROYG
had not met with him in Guantanamo and therefore had not
identified him as a Yemeni national. SAID is not
individually at issue, rather MFA stated they required
adjudication of Yemeni citizenship for all returnees, of
which there are roughly 40 who, when Yemen,s delegation last
visited Guantanamo, the delegation was unable to meet. SAID
was one of those detainees.


8. (U) On June 20, PolChief briefed Assistant Deputy Minister
of Foreign Affairs Khalid AL-AKWA on the hand-over, and
suggested that Yemen consider another visit to Guantanamo to
interview the remaining detainees with claims to Yemeni
nationality. Al-Akwa agreed it was a good idea and would
raise it with concerned authorities.


9. (U) Point of contact for Guantanamo returns to Yemen is
Pol/Econ Officer Jed T. Dornburg, who can be contacted via
classified email at: DornburgJT@state.sgov.gov.
KRAJESKI