Abdul Salam Gaithan Mureef Al Shehry

Infobox WoT detainees
subject_name = Abdul Salam Gaithan Mureef Al Shehry


image_size =
image_caption =
date_of_birth = Birth date|1984|12|14
place_of_birth = Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
date_of_death =
place_of_death =
detained_at = Guantanamo
id_number = 132
group =
alias = Abdul Salam Ghetan, Abd Al Salam Ghaytan Murayyif Al Zaydani Al Shihri
charge = no charge, held in extrajudicial detention
penalty =
status = repatriated
occupation = student
spouse =
parents =
children =

Abdul Salam Gaithan Mureef Al Shehry "(also transliterated Abd Al Salam Ghaytan Murayyif Al Zayda Al Shihri)" is a citizen of Saudi Arabia, held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba. [http://www.defenselink.mil/news/May2006/d20060515%20List.pdf list of prisoners (.pdf)] , "US Department of Defense", May 15 2006] His Guantanamo detainee ID number is 132.The US Department of Defense reports that he was born on December 14 1984, in
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Identity

The Department of Defense asserts that Al Shehry was born on December 14 1984, in Riyadh. [http://www.defenselink.mil/news/May2006/d20060515%20List.pdf list of prisoners (.pdf)] , "US Department of Defense", May 15 2006] An article by human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith, entitled, "The kids of Guantanamo", published on June 15 2005 stated he was born in April 1987. [http://www.cageprisoners.com/articles.php?id=7880 The Kids of Guantanamo] , "cageprisoners", June 6, 2005]

*Captive 132 was named Abd Al Salam Ghaytan Murayyif Al Zaydani Al Shihri Summary of Evidence memo was prepared for his Combatant Status Review Tribunal, on 4 October 2004, and on the Summary of Evidence memo prepared for his Administrative Review Board, on 19 September 2005.cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/000101-000200.pdf#44
title=Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Al Shihri, Abd Al Salam Ghaytan Murayyif Al Zaydani
date=4 October 2004
author=OARDEC
pages=page 44
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2007-12-04] cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/ARB_Round_1_Factors_000099-000196.pdf#62
title=Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Al Shihri, Abd Al Salam Ghaytan Murayyif Al Zaydani
date=19 September 2005
author=OARDEC
pages=pages 62-64
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2007-12-04]
*Captive 132 was named Abdul Salam Ghetan on the official list released on May 15 2006.

Press reports

In January 2005, his family received a letter from al Shehry. [http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=63220&d=5&m=5&y=2005 Youngest Guantanamo Detainee Seeks Marriage] , "Arab News", May 5 2005] He apologized for his errors in traveling to Afghanistan and asked them to find him a wife. Al Shehry's attorney, Kateb al Shammary, argues that the fact that his client is seeking a fiance demonstrates his innocence.

Combatant Status Review Tribunal

] Three chairs were reserved for members of the press, but only 37 of the 574 Tribunals were observed.cite web
url=http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=3902
title=Annual Administrative Review Boards for Enemy Combatants Held at Guantanamo Attributable to Senior Defense Officials
publisher=United States Department of Defense
date=March 6 date=December 2007

Initially the Bush administration asserted that they could withhold all the protections of the Geneva Conventions to captives from the war on terror. This policy was challenged before the Judicial branch. Critics argued that the USA could not evade its obligation to conduct competent tribunals to determine whether captives are, or are not, entitled to the protections of prisoner of war status.

Subsequently the Department of Defense instituted the Combatant Status Review Tribunals. The Tribunals, however, were not authorized to determine whether the captives were "lawful combatants" -- rather they were merely empowered to make a recommendation as to whether the captive had previously been correctly determined to match the Bush administration's definition of an enemy combatant.

ummary of Evidence memo

A Summary of Evidence memo was prepared for Abd Al Salam Ghaytan Murayyif Al Zaydani Al Shihri's Combatant Status Review Tribunal, on 4 October 2004.cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/000101-000200.pdf#44
title=Summary of Evidence for Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- Al Shihri, Abd Al Salam Ghaytan Murayyif Al Zaydani
date=4 October 2004
author=OARDEC
pages=page 44
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2007-12-04] The memo listed the following allegations against him:

:""'a. The detainee is a member of Al Qaida and the Taliban.:#"The detainee traveled to Afghanistan after 11 September 2001.:#"The detainee assisted anti-coalition troops while at a Taliban Center near Khwajajaghar, Afghanistan.:#"The detainee received weapons training in Afghanistan.:#"One of the detainee's known aliases was on a list of captured Al Qaida members that was discovered on a computer hard drive in an alleged Al Qaida residence.

:""'b. The detainee participated in military operations against the coalition.:#"The detainee admitted he went to Afghanistan to fight.:#"The detainee was captured with an AK-47 rifle near Mazar-e-Sharif sic.

Transcript

Al Shehry chose to participate in his Combatant Status Review Tribunal. [http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/Set_44_2922-3064.pdf#39 Summarized transcripts (.pdf)] , from Abdul Salam Gaithan Mureef Al Shehry's "Combatant Status Review Tribunal" - pages 39-50]

Witness

Al Shehri and his Tribunal's President had dialogue about Al Shehri's witness requests.

Al Shehri said he thought his Personal Representative had told him he couldn't call any off-island witnesses.Al Shehri's Personal Representative said he thought Al Shehri had changed his mind about callingoff-island witnesses.

The allegations against Al Shehri originally stated that he traveled to Afghanistan after
September 11, 2001. Al Shehri said that if he had been allowed to call the witnesses hewanted he could have proven he traveled to Afghanistan prior to September 11, 2001.Al Shehri Tribunal recessed. When it reconvened Al Shehri was told the Tribunal would assumehe had traveled to Afghanistan prior to September 11, 2001.

Response to the allegations

Response to Tribunal questions

Administrative Review Board hearing

Detainees who were determined to have been properly classified as "enemy combatants" were scheduled to have their dossier reviewed at annual Administrative Review Board hearings. The Administrative Review Boards weren't authorized to review whether a detainee qualified for POW status, and they weren't authorized to review whether a detainee should have been classified as an "enemy combatant".

They were authorized to consider whether a detainee should continue to be detained by the United States, because they continued to pose a threat -- or whether they could safely be repatriated to the custody of their home country, or whether they could be set free.

ummary of Evidence memo

A Summary of Evidence memo was prepared for Abd Al Salam Ghaytan Murayyif Al Zaydani Al Shihri's Administrative Review Board, on 19 September 2005.cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/ARB_Round_1_Factors_000099-000196.pdf#62
title=Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Al Shihri, Abd Al Salam Ghaytan Murayyif Al Zaydani
date=19 September 2005
author=OARDEC
pages=pages 62-64
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2007-12-04] The memo listed factors for and against his continued detention.

Transcript

Al Shihri chose to participate in his Administrative Review Board hearing. cite web
url=http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/ARB_Transcript_Set_5_20000-20254.pdf#158
title=Summary of Administrative Review Board Proceedings of ISN 132
date=October 9 2005
author=OARDEC
pages=
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2007-12-04] Summarized transcript (.pdf)] , from Abdul Salam Gaithan Mureef Al Shehry's "Administrative Review Board hearing" - page 158]

Board recommendations

In early September 2007 the Department of Defense released two heavily redacted memos, from his Board, to Gordon England, the Designated Civilian Official.cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/ARB_Round_1_Decision_memos_000096-000195.pdf#15
title=Administrative Review Board assessment and recommendation ICO ISN 132
date=December 19 2005
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2007-12-04
pages=] cite web
url=http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/ARB_Round_1_Decision_memos_000096-000195.pdf#16
title=Classified Record of Proceedings and basis of Administrative Review Board recommendation for ISN 132
date=4 October 2005
author=OARDEC
publisher=United States Department of Defense
accessdate=2007-12-04
pages=pages 16-22] The Board's recommendation was unanimousThe Board's recommendation was redacted.England authorized transfer to Saudi Arabia on December 19 2005.

Transfer to Saudi Arabia

On June 25 2006 14 men were transferred from Guantanamo to Saudi Arabia. [http://news.monstersandcritics.com/middleeast/article_1175544.php/Thirteen_Saudis_and_a_Turkistani_return_to_Saudi_from_Guantanamo Thirteen Saudis and a Turkistani return to Saudi from Guantanamo] , "Middle East News", June 25 2006] cite web
url=http://www.fotofest.org/guantanamo/SaudiReport.pdf
title=The Saudi Repatriates Report
author=Anant Raut, Jill M. Friedman
date=March 19 2007
accessdate=April 21
accessyear=2007] One of the released men was identified as Abdulsalam Ghaithan Mureef al-Shehri.

References