Belgian detainees at Guantanamo Bay explained

The United States Department of Defense held two Belgian detainees in Guantanamo.^[1] A total of 778 suspects have been held in the Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba since the camps opened on January 11, 2002The camp population peaked in 2004 at approximately 660. Only nineteen new suspects, all "high value detainees" have been transferred there since the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Rasul v. Bush. In January 2008 the camp population stood at approximately 285.

The two Belgians were Mesut Sen and Mosa Zi Zemmori.^{[1] [2]} Both men have been repatriated.^[3] Both men arrived at Guantanamo on February 15, 2002, and were repatriated on April 25, 2005.^[4]

On October 11, 2009, the Belgian government accepted the transfer of a former Guantanamo captive who was not a Belgian citizen.^{[5] [6]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: List of Individuals Detained by the Department of Defense at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from January 2002 through May 15, 2006. United States Department of Defense. 2006-05-15.
2. News: Belgians return from Guantanamo . . 2008-04-26 . 2012-09-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120925185752/http://www.expatica.com/be/news/local_news/belgians-return-from-guantanamo-19495.html . dead . The Belgian authorities are currently deciding whether to detain the men or let them go free. The first suspect, Turkish Mesut Sen, comes from Brussels and was arrested in Pakistan in December 2001... Both men have dual nationality..
3. News: Consolidate chronological listing of GTMO detainees released, transferred or deceased. Department of Defense. OARDEC. OARDEC. 2008-10-09. 2008-12-28. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20081227004519/http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/09-F-0031_doc1.pdf. 2008-12-27.
4. Web site: Measurements of Heights and Weights of Individuals Detained by the Department of Defense at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (ordered and consolidated version) . Center for the Study of Human Rights in the Americas, from DoD data . https://web.archive.org/web/20100613004352/http://humanrights.ucdavis.edu/resources/library/documents-and-reports/gtmo_heightsweights.pdf . 2010-06-13 . dead.
5. News: Two More Guantánamo Prisoners Released: To Kuwait And Belgium. Andy Worthington. 2009-10-09. 2012-07-11.
6. News: "Respect My Anonymity," Says Guantánamo Prisoner Released in Belgium. Andy Worthington. 2009-10-19. 2012-07-11.