Khalden training camp explained

The Khalden training camp (also transliterated Khaldan) was one of the oldest and best-known military training camps in Afghanistan. It was located in the mountains of eastern Paktia Province, near Tora Bora.[1]

While some reporters repeat descriptions offered by U.S. intelligence officials that the camp was an al-Qaeda training camp, other reporters note that the camp was set up during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, with the support of the Central Intelligence Agency.[2] Having attended one of these camps has triggered suspicion for many of the detainees in the War on Terror. The Khalden training camp was led by Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi, who was captured in late 2001.[3]

Ahmed Ressam, the Millennium Bomber, said he attended the camp using the alias "Nabil", beginning in April 1998 for five to six months.[4] [5] He said Khalden Camp then generally hosted 50–100 trainees at any time, and he trained there in light weapons, handguns, small machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers (RPGs), explosives (including TNT, C4 plastic explosives, and black plastic explosives), poisons (including cyanide), poison gas, sabotage, target selection, urban warfare, tactics (including assassinations), and security.[4] [5] [6] Trainees were from Jordan, Algeria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Chechnya, Turkey, Sweden, Germany, and France.[4] During the time he was there, he met Zacarias Moussaoui.[5] [6]

During the early years of the War in Afghanistan, the Bush administration described the Khalden Camp as an al-Qaeda training facility, an assertion used as evidence of an alleged connection to al-Qaeda for Abu Zubaydah and more than 50 other men held as enemy combatants at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.[7] Since 2006, however, this allegation has been contested by the 9/11 Commission Report, Brynjar Lia, head of the international terrorism and global jihadism at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment, and unclassified records from the detainees' tribunal reviews (CSRT)s at Guantanamo.[7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

Zubaydah testified in his Combatant Status Review Tribunal (CSRT) that the Khalden Camp was at such odds with al-Qaeda and bin Laden that it was closed by the Taliban in 2000, at bin Laden's request.[7] This account was corroborated by two other detainees, Noor Uthman Muhammed, alleged by the U.S. Government to have been the emir, or leader, of the Khalden Camp; and Khalid Sulayman Jaydh Al Hubayshi, a close friend of Zubaydah.[8] [9] In addition, Muhammed's charge sheet refers to the closing of the Khalden camp at the request of terrorist leaders.[12]

Brynjar Lia wrote in his 2008 book that an ideological conflict, between the leaders of the Khalden Camp and the Taliban and al-Qaeda, led to the closing of the Khalden Camp.[11] Zubaydah, Khalid Sulayman Jaydh Al Hubayshi, and Noor Uthman Muhammed confirmed this divide in their CSRT testimony.[7] [8] [9] Of the 57 detainees the U.S. Government claims are associated with the Khalden Camp, 27 have been released, including Zubaydah's friend Al Hubayshi.[13]

Doğu Türkistan Bülteni Haber Ajansı, which is the Turkish media arm of the Uyghur Turkistan Islamic Party, wrote a biography on one of their members, Garib (Asadullah) Turkistani in 1997 who went to Pakistan, was tutored by Abdullah Azzam in religious learning in camp Khalden in order to join the Taliban because he wanted Shariah. He moved to Kabul to enlist in the Mujahideen. He became part of Liwa al Ansar and was injured in a car accident while fleeing the American invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. He died while fighting against American troops who they called "Crusaders".[14]

The Uyghur Turkistan Islamic Party's "Islamic Turkistan" magazine in its 5th edition published an obituary of its member Turghun (Ibn Umar al Turkistani) speaking of his time training at the Al Khaldan training camp and his meeting with Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi. The Uyghurs in Afghanistan fought against the American bombing and the Northern Alliance after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Ibn Umar died fighting against Americans at Qala-i-Jangi that month.[15] [16]

Individuals alleged to have attended the Khalden training camp

Abdullah Khadr[17]
  • Says he only attended two weeks, when he was 13 years old
Abdurahman Khadr[18] [19]
  • Attended when he was 11 years old, says there was "a lot of mental training".[20]
Ahmed Ajaj[21]
Ahmed Ressam[22]
  • LAX "millennium bomber". Admitted attending the camp beginning in April 1998 for five to six months, and says that he met Zacarias Moussaoui there.
Feroz Abbasi[23]
  • released in the UK
Gouled Hassan Dourad[24]
  • participated in 1993 World Trade Center bombing
Majed Moqed[25]
  • 9-11 hijacker
Mohamed Rashid al-Owhali[26]
  • attended in 1997
  • participated in the bombings of US embassies in Africa
Mokhtar Belmokhtar[27]
  • Algerian terrorist, kidnapper, smuggler, and weapons dealer sentenced to death in absentia in his home country twice
  • Now heads the Al-Mulatahemeen ("Masked") Brigade (also known as the al-Mua'qi'oon Biddam ("Those who Sign with Blood") Brigade), which took hundreds of people hostage in the In Aménas hostage crisis in January 2013
Mushabib al-Hamlan[28] [29]
  • Friend of the 9-11 hijackers.
  • Trained with 9-11 hijackers.
  • trained in the early 1990s
  • a southeast Asian lieutenant
Rafiq Bin Bashir Bin Jalud Al Hami[30]
  • participated in 1993 World Trade Center bombing
  • shoe bomber
  • tried to be a shoe bomber
Satam al-Suqami[31]
  • 9-11 hijacker
Zacarias Moussaoui[32]
Mohammed Abd Al Al Qadir[33]
Khalid Sulaymanjaydh Al Habayshi[34]
Noor Uthman Muhammaed[35]
Riyad Bil Mohammed Tahir Nasseri[36]
  • One of the allegations against Riyad Bil Mohammed Tahir Nasseri was: "The detainee received military training at the Derunta camp in Jalalabad, Afghanistan and Khaldan camp near Khowst Afghanistan."
Abdullah Ali Al Utaybi[37]
  • One of the allegations against Abdullah Ali Al Utaybi was: "Detainee may have trained at the al Qaida Khaldan Camp ."
Ridah Bin Saleh Al Yazidi[38]
  • One of the factors favoring Ridah Bin Saleh Al Yazidi's continued detention was: "The detainee said he was provided with a letter of introduction for admission to the Khalden Training Camp. The detainee traveled to Afghanistan using a forged passport. The detainee traveled to Khost, Afghanistan via Switzerland, Islamabad, Pakistan and Jalalabad, Afghanistan."
Hisham Sliti[39]
Ahmed Hassan Jamil Suleyman[40]
  • One of the factors favoring Ahmed Hassan Jamil Suleyman's continued detention was: "The detainee was at Khalden Camp between May 1994 and 1999."
  • One of the allegations against Riyad Bil Mohamme Tahir Nasseri was: "The detainee received military training at the Derunta camp in Jalalabad, Afghanistan and Khaldan camp near Khowst Afghanistan."
Abdul Bin Mohammed Bin Abess Ourgy[41]
  • One of the factors considered for his continued detention was: "Detainee denies that he trained at the Khalden training camp."
Umar Abdullah Al Kunduzi[42]
  • One of the factors favoring the continued detention of Umar Abdullah Al Kunduzi was: "The detainee and others were led out of the Tora Bora region by the leader of the Khalden training camp, who has been linked to Usama Bin Laden, Abu Zubaydah and several other major al Qaida leaders."
Omar Nasiri[43] [44]
  • Omar Nasiri is the pen-name of the author of:
    • "Inside the Global Jihad: How I Infiltrated Al Qaeda and Was Abandoned by Western Intelligence"
    • ""
Idris Ahmed Abdu Qader Idris[45]
  • One of the allegations against Idris Ahmed Abdu Qader Idris was: "The detainee ###############, voluntarily traveled from Italy to Afghanistan in May 1999 to attend the Khaldan training camp."
Abdul Rahman Mohamed Saleh Naser[46]
  • Two of the factors favoring Abdul Rahman Mohamed Saleh Naser's continued detention were:
Lufti Bin Ali[47]
  • One of the factors favoring Lufti Bin Ali's continued detention was: "The detainee was identified by a senior al Qaida lieutenant as having studied at the Khaldan camp in 1998 or 1999."
Faiz Mohammed Ahmed Al Kandari[48] [49]
  • One of the allegations against Faiz Mohammed Ahmed Al Kandari was: "The detainee later traveled into Afghanistan and received weapons training at the Khaldan training camp. Usama Bin Laden personally provided religious instruction and trainee at this camp."
  • One of the factors favoring Faiz Mohammed Ahmed Al Kandari's continued detention was: "The detainee traveled to the Khalden training camp in Afghanistan where he received weapons training on the Kalashnikov, Dusaka (AKA Docka), Grinov, BKC automatic rifles, and RPGs, and anti-aircraft guns. Usama Bin Laden provided religious instruction and gave advice and encouragement to the Jihadists."
Adil Charkaoui[50]
  • Made the travel arrangements for Ahmed Ressam, the "millennium bomber", to receive training at the "Khaldun training camp".
  • Alleged to have received military training in Afghanistan himself.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Camps Are Rubble but Their Threat Remains. . 18 December 2001.
  2. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/khadr/ Son of Al Qaeda
  3. http://seattletimes.com/news/nation-world/terroristwithin/chapter18.html The Terrorist Within
  4. Web site: U.S. v. Haquari, Examination. July 3, 2001. USDC SDNY. February 27, 2010.
  5. Web site: U.S. v. Ressam . U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit . February 2, 2010 . February 27, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121004023628/http://www.nefafoundation.org/miscellaneous/US_v_Ressam_9thcircuitappeals0210.pdf . October 4, 2012 .
  6. Web site: Ressam Testimony in Mokhtar Haouari Trial. July 2001. Southern District of New York. February 27, 2010.
  7. News: Abu Zubaydah Unclassified Verbatim Combatant Status Review Tribunal Transcript . 2007 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090514035328/http://www.defenselink.mil/news/transcript_ISN10016.pdf . 2009-05-14 .
  8. http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/Set_1_0001-0097.pdf Khalid Sulaymanjaydh Al Hubayshi Unclassified Verbatim Combatant Status Review Tribunal Transcript
  9. http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/Set_38_2608-2628.pdf Noor Uthamn Muhammed Unclassified Verbatim Combatant Status Review Tribunal
  10. http://www.gpoaccess.gov/911/pdf/fullreport.pdf 9/11 Commission Report
  11. Brynjar Lia, Architect of Global Jihad: The Life of Al-Qaida Strategist Abu Mus'ab al-Suri pg. 242–243, Columbia University Press, 2008
  12. http://www.defenselink.mil/news/commissionsNoor.html "Noor Uthamn Muhammed Charge Sheets"
  13. Web site: New York Times Guantanamo Docket . Projects.nytimes.com . 2012-04-04.
  14. News: Türkistan İslam Cemaati Mücahidi Şehit Esedullah Türkistan'ın Hayati. Doğu Türkistan Bülteni Haber Ajansı. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170409034249/http://www.doguturkistanbulteni.com/2016/03/20/turkistan-islam-cemaati-mucahidi-sehit-esedullah-turkistaninin-hayati/. 2017-04-09.
  15. January 2010 . (رحمه اللّٰه) صفحات من تاريخ بطل الشيخ الشهيد ابن عمر التركستاني . تركستان الإسلامية . السنة الثاني العدد الخامس . 10–13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170508104543/https://azelin.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/e1b8a5izb-al-islc481mc4ab-al-turkistc481nc4abs-turkistan-islamic-party-22turkistc481n-al-islc481mc4abyyah-522.pdf . 2017-05-08 . dead .
  16. News: 18 January 2016. Türkistan İslam Cemaati Komutanı İbni Ömer et-Türkistani'nin Hayatı. Doğu Türkistan Bülteni Haber Ajansı. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170303031337/http://www.doguturkistanbulteni.com/2016/01/18/turkistan-islam-cemaati-komutani-ibni-omer-et-turkistaninin-hayati/. 3 March 2017.
  17. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20051209/KHADR09/TPNational/Canada 'I was never in al-Qaeda,' newly freed Khadr says: Released after 14 months in Pakistani jails, he calls himself an aspiring businessman
  18. http://www.justiceforharkat.com/news.php?extend.312 Khadr clears Charkaoui, casts doubt on case
  19. http://www.diversitywatch.ryerson.ca/media/cache/khadr_star_dec2.htm Ordinary lad — or jihad conscript?
  20. Testimony of Abdurahman Khadr as a witness in the trial against Charkaoui, July 13, 2004
  21. http://www.stratfor.com/products/premium/read_article.php?id=260050 Another Angle on al-Zawahiri's Call to Action
  22. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/news/nation-world/terroristwithin/chapter8.html Going to Camp
  23. https://www.thestar.com/static/PDF/051209_khaldan_alumni.pdf&ei=STWuQ6WQGJyQ-gGKqZW6Dg&sig2=ohBRcbT5gWoV2yVa3x_qpw The Khaldan Alumni (.pdf)
  24. Biographies of High Value Terrorist Detainees Transferred to the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay . . September 6, 2006 . December 16, 2006 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100527165219/http://www.dni.gov/announcements/content/DetaineeBiographies.pdf . May 27, 2010 .
  25. http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report_Ch7.htm 9/11 Commission Report
  26. http://observer.guardian.co.uk/waronterrorism/story/0,1373,560729,00.html Hijacking suspect 'was bin Laden bodyguard'
  27. Web site: Jacinto . Leela . Key figures in al Qaeda's North African branch . CIMIC . 21 January 2013 . 27 September 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131214025331/https://www.cimicweb.org/cmo/medbasin/Documents/North%20Africa/Security/Key%20figures%20in%20al%20Qaeda%20North%20Africa.pdf . 14 December 2013 .
  28. http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/ops/911-recr.htm World Trade Center and Pentagon Attacks
  29. http://911.gnu-designs.com/Notes_7.html 911 Commission: Notes to Chapter 7
  30. Summarized transcript (.pdf)
  31. http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report_Ch7.htm 9/11 Commission – notes to chapter 7
  32. http://www.usdoj.gov/ag/moussaouiindictment.htm Indictment of ZACARIAS MOUSSAOUI
  33. Factors for and against the continued detention (.pdf)
  34. Summarized transcripts (.pdf)
  35. http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_mar05.pdf Summary of Evidence memo (.pdf)
  36. http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_mar05.pdf Summary of Evidence memo (.pdf)
  37. http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_mar05.pdf Summary of Evidence memo (.pdf)
  38. Factors for and against the continued detention (.pdf)
  39. http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_mar05.pdf Summary of Evidence (.pdf)
  40. Factors for and against the continued detention (.pdf)
  41. Factors for and against the continued detention (.pdf)
  42. http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/ARB_Round_1_Factors_001161-001234.pdf#59-61 Factors for and against the continued detention (.pdf)
  43. [Reid Morden]
  44. http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/world/article.jsp?content=20061127_137194_137194 Infiltrating Al-Qaeda: At a terrorist camp, a French spy meets the battling Khadr brothers
  45. http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_mar05.pdf Summary of Evidence memo (.pdf)
  46. Factors for and against the continued detention (.pdf)
  47. Factors for and against the continued detention (.pdf)
  48. http://wid.ap.org/documents/detainees/faizmohammadalkandari.pdf documents (.pdf)
  49. http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt_arb/ARB_Round_1_Factors_001161-001234.pdf#31 Factors for and against the continued detention (.pdf)
  50. http://www.justiceforharkat.com/Canadians_Join_Terror_Camps_1.php Dozens of Canadians join Jihad terror camps Immigrants recruited, RCMP says

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