- Yahya Samil Al Suwaymil Al Sulami
Yahya Samil Al Suwaymil Al Sulami is a citizen of
Saudi Arabia , held inextrajudicial detention in theUnited States Guantanamo Bay Naval Base , inCuba . [http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/detainee_list.pdf list of prisoners (.pdf)] , "US Department of Defense ",April 20 2006 ] His detainee ID number is 066.Combatant Status Review Tribunal
Initially the Bush administration asserted that they could withhold all the protections of the
Geneva Conventions to captives fromthe war on terror . This policy was challenged before the Judicial branch. Critics argued that the USA could not evade its obligation to conduct acompetent tribunal s to determine whether captives are, or are not, entitled to the protections ofprisoner of war status.Subsequently the [Department of Defense instituted the
Combatant Status Review Tribunal s. 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 anenemy combatant .Al Sulami chose to participate in his Combatant Status Review Tribunal. [http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/Set_16_1363-1446.pdf#77 Summarized transcripts (.pdf)] , from
Yahya Samil Al Suwaymil Al Sulami 's "Combatant Status Review Tribunal " - pages 77-84]allegations
The allegations against Al Sulami were: [http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/Set_16_1363-1446.pdf#77 Summarized transcripts (.pdf)] , from
Yahya Samil Al Suwaymil Al Sulami 's "Combatant Status Review Tribunal " - pages 77-84] :a. ""' -- The general summary of the allegations that establish an association with terrorism were missing from the transcript. --:#"The detainee states he traveled fromSaudi Arabia toAfghanistan viaPakistan to teach theKoran to non-Arabs.:#"The detainee was identified as having special mission training (explosives, assassination, etc) and possessed a computer disc showing this training.:#"The detainee was identified as being in a group of 30Usama Bin Laden bodyguard s and drivers captured by the Pakistani military while fleeing Afghanistan.:#"The group of 30 were told the best thing they could tell US Forces when interrogated was they were in Afghanistan to teach the Koran.:b. ""' -- The general summary of the allegations of hostile activity were missing from the transcript. --:#"The detainee was identified as the
Emir of a group of 10-15 fighters guardying a river crossing leading to theTora Bora Camp.:#"The detainee was identified as firing a weapon while at a guard post between Tora Bora andJalalabad .Al Sulami's opening statement
Al Sulami said that all the allegations were false. He said he had an argument with another detainee, who said he would fix him by leveling false allegations against him.
Al Sulami’s Q & A
In answer to questions Al Sulami stated:
*The name of the detainee he believed leveled the false allegations against him wasMuhammad Basardah . He explained the dispute by saying Basardah was mentally unstable and was on medication.
*Al Sulami traveled alone. A friend he met inMecca ,Muhammad Halid had given him the phone number of another man named Muhammad, who would help him go to a school calledDali Dalen .
*Al Sulami said that he paid for his travel partly from his own funds, but that, in addition, Halid had given him some money.
*Prior to his departure from Saudi Arabia Al Sulami had been a student in a science academy.
*When he arrived in Afghanistan he traveled to the village ofKhost , and met his contact Muhammad the Afghani. He taught students at the Mosque of Iman of Halibra in Khost for four months. When American forces attacked Afghanistan he tried to leave Afghanistan. He followed other refugees, but traveled alone. He was apprehended at a border checkpoint when he tried to enter Pakistan.
*He lost his passport, as he struggled to reach the border. He did get to meet someone from the Saudi Embassy when he was imprisoned. The Saudi told him he would have to arrange paperwork before he could be released. However he was turned over to the Americans before this took place. Al Sulami believes he was sold for a bounty.
*Al Sulami denied ever receiving any military training or engaging in hostilities.Repatriation
Repatriated to Saudi custody, with fifteen other men, on
July 16 2007 .cite news
url=http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=98598&d=17&m=7&y=2007&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Kingdom
title=More Gitmo Detainees Come Home
author=Raid Qusti
publisher=Arab News
date=July 17 2007
accessdate=2007-07-17] cite news
url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-worthington/who-are-the-16-saudis-rel_b_56810.html
author=Andy Worthington
publisher=Huffington Post
date=July 18 2007
title=Who are the 16 Saudis Released From Guantánamo?] HistorianAndy Worthington wrote:References
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