FILE: Activists in orange jumpsuits, representing the 35 men who are still being held at the US detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, participate in a protest in front of the White House. AFP
Cuba: Two brothers, Abdul Rabbani and Mohammed Rabbani, who were held at the prison in Guantanamo Bay have been sent to Pakistan by the US administration.
The transfers were made as a part of US President Joe Biden’s efforts to shut down the detention centre in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
According to the Pentagon, with the recent transfers, the number of detainees in the bay has come down to 32.
The Rabbani brothers were arrested nearly 20 years ago. Abdul Rabbani was an al-Qaeda facilitator while his brother Mohammed was a financial and travel facilitator working for prominent al-Qaeda leaders.
In a statement, Pentagon said, “The United States appreciates the willingness of the government of Pakistan and other partners to support ongoing US efforts focused on responsibly reducing the detainee population and ultimately closing the Guant?namo Bay facility.”
The brothers, who were detained during USA’s most deadly terrorist attack 9/11, were not charged with any crime at the time. Their repatriation was issued after it was decided that their detention was no longer needed to protect against a “continuing, significant threat” to US, a statement by the Defence Department read.
Another Pakistani detainee freed
Earlier this month, the Biden administration released Majid Khan from Guantanamo Bay to Belize in Central America.
Khan’s transfer was the first such case that took place under Joe Biden.
Khan said in a statement, “I have been given a second chance in life and I intend to make the most of it. I promise all of you, especially the people of Belize, that I will be a productive, law-abiding member of society.”
According to US Defence Department Khan joined al-Qaeda in 2002 where he directly reported to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the operational planner and principal architect of the 9/11 attacks.
Biden’s plan to shut down Guantanamo Bay prison
In 2021, the Biden administration pledged to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility by the end of their term.
Former president Barack Obama also took a similar decision during his term but it was never realised.
His successor Donald Trump, however, kept the facility open and signed an executive order to not shut it down.
In 2018, he said, “I am asking Congress to ensure that in the fight against ISIS and al Qaeda we continue to have all necessary power to detain terrorists wherever we chase them down, wherever we find them. And in many cases for them it will now be Guant?namo Bay.”
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