Portman Condemns Release of 15 Guantanamo Detainees

Press Release

Following the largest release of Guantanamo detainees by the Obama Administration, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) released the following statement condemning the action. The 12 Yemeni nationals and three Afghan detainees were sent to the United Arab Emirates.

"This release of Guantanamo detainees is an act motivated more by the President's legacy concerns than our national security interests," Portman said. "The President's primary focus should be the safety and security of our nation. These detainees, including a bodyguard for Osama Bin Laden, have actively participated in hostile acts against the United States and our allies and continue to pose a risk at home and abroad."

Although the Administration has actively masked the conduct of released detainees, the Senate has worked to obtain declassified information to provide transparency for American citizens. On March 23 of this year, the Defense Department Special Envoy for Guantanamo Closure told the House Foreign Affairs Committee, "there have been Americans that have died because of [Guantanamo] detainees" being transferred from the facility. In fact, data indicates that roughly one out of every three detainees has either been either confirmed or suspected of having reengaged in terrorist or insurgent activities.

According to the acquired unclassified report, the recently released detainees participated in the terrorist activity outlined below:

* Abd al-Muhsin Abd al-Rab Salih al-Busi: Trained at al Qaeda's al-Farouq camp and fought on the frontlines for five months against coalition forces in Afghanistan;

* Abd al-Rahman Sulayman: Received weapons training at al Qaeda's al-Farouq camp and fought on the frontlines against coalition forces in Afghanistan;

* Mohammed Nasir Yahi Khussrof Kazaz: Trained at al Qaeda's al-Farouq camp, served as a light weapons instructor at the camp, and led a group of fighters at Tora Bora;

* Abdul Muhammad Ahmad Nassar al-Muhajari: Received terrorist training and associated with a terrorist who swore allegiance to bin Laden;

* Muhammad Ahmad Said al-Adahi: Met with bin Laden on several occasions and attended al Qaeda's al-Farouq training camp;

* Abdel Qadir al-Mudafari: Served as a bodyguard for bin Laden and worked as an instructor at al Qaeda's al-Farouq training camp;

* Mahmud Abd Al Aziz al-Mujahid: Served as a bodyguard for bin Laden;

* Saeed Ahmed Mohammed Abdullah Sarem Jarabh: Received at least basic weapons training at al Qaeda camps and possibly fought on the frontlines against coalition forces in Afghanistan;

* Mohammed Kamin: Trained with al Qaeda, probably received instruction in explosives, facilitated attacks against U.S. forces, served as al Qaeda weapons logistician, and conducted reconnaissance probably of U.S. military facilities along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border;

* Zahar Omar Hamis bin Hamdoun: Trained at al Qaeda's al-Farouq camp, served as an al Qaeda weapons and explosives instructor, and likely fought with al Qaeda in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom-possibly commanding foreign fighters;

* Hamid al-Razak (aka Haji Hamidullah): Probably ordered and conducted attacks against Afghan and coalition personnel during Operation Enduring Freedom;

* Majid Mahmud Abdu Ahmed: Served as a bin Laden bodyguard, received al Qaeda training, and fought on the front lines against coalition forces in Afghanistan;

* Ayub Murshid Ali Salih: Likely trained in military tactics at al Qaeda's al-Farouq camp and met senior al Qaeda figures in Pakistan;

* Obaidullah: Received explosives training, joined an al Qaeda improvised explosive device (IED) cell that targeted coalition forces in Afghanistan, and admitted to acquiring and planting anti-tank mines to target U.S. and other coalition forces. He was captured by U.S. Special Forces during a raid at his compound with 23 anti-tank landmines as well as a notebook containing electronic and detonator schematics; and

* Bashir Nasir Ali al-Marwalah: Received instruction at an al Qaeda camp and included a martyrdom statement in his last will and testament.

NOTE: In 2015 Senator Rob Portman, along with Senators Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), and Susan Collins (R-Maine) sent letters to the Secretary of Defense, Ashton Carter, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr., expressing concern over the Obama Administration's recent release of Shaker Aamer from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. In his response, Secretary Carter confirmed that he overruled the Joint Chiefs of Staff's opposition to the transfer of Shaker Aamer. The full text of the letter and Secretary Carter's response can be found here and here.

In 2014 Portman introduced a resolution stating that the Obama Administration's decision to release five high-level Taliban leaders from Guantanamo Bay violated legislation enacted the year before and calling for an investigation. The resolution states that President Obama violated the Fiscal Year 2014 National Defense Authorization Act and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 when he transferred these dangerous detainees to Qatar. It also calls upon Congress to investigate why the Obama Administration ignored congressional legislation restricting the President's authority to transfer detainees from Guantanamo Bay and to examine both the impact of the transfer of these individuals on our national security and how to mitigate it. Senate Democrats blocked the resolution from being considered on the Senate floor.

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