The United States has held a total of 115 Yemeni citizens at Guantanamo Bay, forty-two of whom have since been transferred out of the facility. Only Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia had a greater number of their citizens held in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. By January 2008, the Yemenis in Guantanamo represented the largest group of detainees.
Among the Yemeni detainees currently held (as of November 2015), 44 are recommended for transfer out of the facility, while twenty-three are being held indefinitely and are not recommended for transfer. Only Ali Hamza Ahmad Suliman al Bahlul was convicted by military tribunal. Two of his convictions were vacated on appeal but a third, for conspiracy, was restored in 2016 en banc by a plurality of justices on the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.[1] Two Yemeni detainees are awaiting trials by military commissions, Ramzi bin al-Shibh and Walid Bin Attash.
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A delegation of Yemeni officials visited Guantanamo shortly after it opened in January 2002.
On March 12, 2008, Mark Falkoff of the Center for Constitutional Rights issued a call for the repatriation of the Yemeni detainees, reporting that 95 Yemenis remained in detention, and they now constituted more than a third of the total detainee population. Falkoff wrote that the delay in his release is due to a failure of the United States and Yemeni governments to reach an agreement on the security arrangements for the detainees, following their repatriation. By contrast, almost all the 133 Saudi detainees in Guantanamo had been sent home in 2006 and 2007.
On December 25, 2009, Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab (whose mother is from Yemen)[2] allegedly tried to set off a suicide bomb on Northwest Airlines Flight 253.By December 27, 2009, responding to rumors that Abdulmutallab had confessed to being trained and equipped in Yemen, various American politicians, including Joe Lieberman, Pete Hoekstra, Peter T. King and Bennie Thompson, called for American President Barack Obama to halt plans to repatriate the Yemenis.
An article published in the Yemen Post on November 13, 2012, reported on secret terms in the US-Yemeni repatriation negotiations.
Several returned Yemeni detainees were charged and stood trial, following their repatriation.Yemen established a special Criminal Court for Terrorism where their trials took place.
On 7 June 2008, the Yemeni site Al Sahwa Net reported that negotiations were advanced for the repatriation of approximately seventy Yemeni detainees. That same day, Yemen Online reported that several Yemeni detainees had recently been allowed to their first phone calls to their families.
| Name | Arrival date | Departure date | Notes | Transfer recommendation status | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00026 | Fahed Abdullah Ahmad Ghazi | 2002-01-11 | 2016-01-13 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | ||
| 00027 | Uthman Abdul Rahim Mohammed Uthman | 2002-12-11 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended continued detention | |||
| 00028 | 2002-01-17 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended continued detention | ||||
| 00029 | 2002-01-16 | 2017-01-16 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended continued detention | |||
| 00030 | Ahmed Umar Abdullah al Hikimi | 2002-01-16 | 2016-04-16 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | ||
| 00031 | 2002-01-12 | 2016-08-15 | 201x Periodic Review Board recommended transfer | |||
| 00032 | Faruq Ali Ahmed | 2002-01-11 | 2009-12-19 | transferred | ||
| 00033 | 2002-01-17 | 2016-08-15 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | |||
| 00034 | Al Khadr Abdallah Muhammed Al Yafi | 2002-01-17 | 2015-01-14 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | ||
| 00035 | 2002-06-08 | 2015-06-13 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | |||
| 00036 | 2002-01-11 | 2013-12-18 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | |||
| 00037 | 2002-01-11 | 2016-06-22 | 2014 Periodic Review Board recommended transfer | |||
| 00039 | 2002-01-11 | serving his sentence in Guantanamo | ||||
| 00040 | Abdel Qadir Hussein Al Mudhaffari | 2002-01-14 | 2016-08-15 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | ||
| 00041 | 2002-01-17 | 2016-08-15 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended continued detention | |||
| 00043 | 2002-01-11 | 2016-01-13 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | |||
| 00044 | 2002-01-11 | 2017-01-05 | transfer | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended continued detention | ||
| 00045 | 2002-01-11 | 2015-11-16 | transferred to the United Arab Emirates. | |||
| 00069 | Sadeq Muhammad Sa'id Ismail | 2007-06-18 | 2004-11-12 JTF-GTMO DAB recommended transfer | |||
| 00078 | 2002-02-08 | 2009-06-01 | died in custody | 2008-06-10 JTF-GTMO DAB recommended continued detention | ||
| 00088 | Waqas Mohammed Ali Awad | 2002-01-20 | 2016-01-13 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | ||
| 00091 | Abdul Al Saleh | 2002-02-09 | 2016-08-15 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | ||
| 00115 | Abdul Rahman Mohamed Saleh Naser | 2002-06-12 | 2016-04-16 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | ||
| 00117 | 2002-05-01 | 2016-01-13 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | |||
| 00128 | 2002-01-17 | 2017-01-16 | 201x Periodic Review Board recommended transfer | |||
| 00129 | Toufiq Saber Muhammad Al Marwa'i | 2002-06-12 | 2006-12-15 | transferred | 2005-01-07 JTF-GTMO DAB recommended transfer | |
| 00131 | 2002-01-20 | 2017-01-05 | transfer | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended continued detention | ||
| 00149 | 2002-05-01 | 2008-11-25 | transferred to serve sentence | 2008-09-04 JTF-GTMO DAB recommended continued detention | ||
| 00152 | 2002-01-17 | 2014-12-30 | asylum | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer; died in Kazakhstan shortly after his transfer | ||
| 00153 | 2002-01-17 | 2016-07-10 | transferred to Italy. | |||
| 00156 | 2002-01-17 | 2012-09-10 | died in custody | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | ||
| 00162 | Ali Husayn Abdullah Al Tays | 2002-02-09 | 2006-12-15 | transfer | 2004-10-08 JTF-GTMO DAB recommended transfer | |
| 00163 | Khalid Abd Jal Jabbar Muhammad Juthman Al Qadasi | 2002-02-09 | 2015-11-16 | transferred to the United Arab Emirates. | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | |
| 00165 | Adil Said Al Haj Obeid Al Busayss | 2002-01-17 | 2015-11-16 | transferred to the United Arab Emirates. | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | |
| 00167 | Ali Yahya Mahdi Al Raimi | 2002-05-01 | 2016-04-16 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | ||
| 00170 | Sharaf Ahmad Muhammad Masud | 2002-06-08 | 2015-06-13 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | ||
| 00171 | Abu Bakr Ibn Ali Muhhammad Alahdal | 2002-01-14 | 2016-01-13 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | ||
| 00172 | Ali Muhammed Nasir | 2002-01-14 | 2007-09-28 | transferred | 2004-10-28 JTF-GTMO DAB recommended transfer | |
| 00178 | 2002-02-09 | 2016-04-16 | unknown | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | ||
| 00183 | Issam Hamid Al Bin Ali Al Jayfi | 2002-01-17 | 2006-12-15 | transferred | 2004-10-29 JTF-GTMO DAB recommended transfer | |
| 00193 | Muhsin Muhammad Musheen Moqbill | 2002-05-03 | 2006-12-15 | transferred | 2004-10-01 JTF-GTMO DAB recommended transfer | |
| 00198 | Mohammed Ahmed Ali Al Asadi | 2002-05-01 | 2006-12-15 | transferred | 2004-09-17 JTF-GTMO DAB recommended transfer | |
| 00202 | Mahmmoud Omar Mohammed Bin Atef | 2002-02-07 | 2016-01-06 | |||
| 00221 | Ali Mohsen Salih | 2002-02-11 | 2007-06-18 | transfer | 2004-09-17 JTF-GTMO DAB recommended transfer | |
| 00223 | Abdul Rahman Abdul Abu Ghiyth Sulayman | 2002-02-11 | 2016-08-15 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | ||
| 00224 | Abd Al Rahman Abdullah Ali Muhammad | 2002-02-09 | 2015-01-14 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | ||
| 00225 | Hani Abdul Muslih Al Shulan | 2002-02-09 | 2007-06-18 | transferred | 2004-10-15 JTF-GTMO DAB recommended transfer died in Yemen in 2009. | |
| 00233 | Abdul Al Razzaq Muhammad Salih | 2002-02-11 | 2016-01-13 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | ||
| 00235 | 2002-02-11 | 2016-08-15 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | |||
| 00240 | Abdullah Yahia Yousf al Shabli | 2002-02-07 | 2017-01-05 | transferred | ||
| 00242 | 2002-05-01 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended continued detention | ||||
| 00249 | Mohammed Abdullah Al Hamiri | 2016-04-16 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | |||
| 00251 | Muhhammad Said Bin Salem | 2002-02-07 | 2016-01-13 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | ||
| 00252 | 2002-02-12 | 2010-05-04 | ? | |||
| 00254 | Muhammad Ali Hussein Khenaina | 2002-06-08 | 2014-12-30 | ? | ||
| 00255 | Said Muhammed Salih Hatim | 2002-06-12 | 2016-01-13 | 2010 Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended transfer | ||
| 00256 | Atag Ali Abdoh Al-Haj | 2002-06-12 | 2009-12-19 | ? | ||
| 00259 | Fadil Husayn Salih Hintif | 2002-02-09 | 2015-01-14 | |||
| 00321 | Ahmed Yaslam Said Kuman | 2002-05-03 | 2016-04-16 | |||
| 00324 | 2002-05-01 | 2016-04-16 | ||||
| 00434 | 2002-06-12 | 2017-01-16 | ||||
| 00440 | 2002-05-01 | 2017-01-05 | transferred | |||
| 00441 | 2002-02-09 | 2016-07-11 | ||||
| 00461 | Abdul Rahman Umir Al Qyati | 2002-05-03 | 2016-04-16 | |||
| 00498 | 2002-05-03 | 2017-01-16 | ||||
| 00503 | Saleh Mohamed Al Zuba | 2002-06-08 | 2006-12-15 | ? | ||
| 00506 | 2002-05-05 | 2016-01-06 | ||||
| 00508 | 2002-05-01 | 2017-01-16 | ||||
| 00509 | Mohammed Nasir Yahya Khusruf | 2002-05-03 | 2016-08-15 | |||
| 00511 | 2002-05-05 | 2015-11-16 | transferred to the United Arab Emirates. | |||
| 00522 | 2002-05-01 | ? | ||||
| 00549 | 2002-02-15 | 2016-01-13 | ? | |||
| 00550 | Walid Said Bin Said Zaid | 2002-05-03 | 2017-01-16 | |||
| 00553 | Abdul Khaled Al-Baydani | 2002-05-01 | 2014-11-20 | ? | ||
| 00554 | Fahmi Salem Said Al Sani | 2002-02-15 | 2015-11-16 | transferred to the United Arab Emirates. | ||
| 00564 | Jalal Salam Bin Amer | 2002-06-14 | 2015-06-13 | |||
| 00566 | Mansour Muhammed Ali Al-Qatta | 2002-06-18 | 2016-04-16 | |||
| 00569 | Zuhail Abdo Anam Said Al Sharabi | 2002-05-05 | ? | |||
| 00570 | Sabri Mohammed Ebrahim Al Qurashi | 2002-05-05 | 2014-12-30 | ? | ||
| 00574 | Hamoud Abdullah Hamoud Hassan Al Wady | 2002-06-08 | 2013-12-16 | ? | ||
| 00575 | Saad Masir Mukbl Al Azani | 2002-06-18 | 2015-06-13 | |||
| 00576 | 2002-05-05 | 2016-08-15 | ||||
| 00577 | Jamal Muhammad Alawi Mar'i | 2002-05-01 | 2009-12-19 | ? | ||
| 00578 | 2002-05-03 | ? | ||||
| 00586 | 2002-05-01 | 2005-08-19 | ? | |||
| 00627 | 2002-05-01 | 2009-12-19 | ? | |||
| 00678 | Fawaz Naman Hamoud Abdallah Mahdi | 2002-06-18 | 2007-06-18 | ? | ||
| 00679 | 2002-06-14 | 2009-12-19 | ? | |||
| 00680 | Emad Abdalla Hassan | 2002-06-18 | 2015-06-13 | |||
| 00681 | Mohammed Mohammed Hassen | 2002-06-18 | 2010-07-13 | |||
| 00683 | Fayad Yahya Ahmed | 2002-06-18 | 2009-12-19 | ? | ||
| 00686 | Abdel Ghalib Ahmad Hakim | 2002-06-18 | 2014-11-20 | ? | ||
| 00688 | Fahmi Abdullah Ahmed | 2002-06-18 | ? | |||
| 00689 | Mohammed Ahmed Salam | 2002-06-18 | 2015-01-14 | |||
| 00690 | 2002-06-18 | 2015-01-14 | ||||
| 00691 | Mohammed Ali Salem Al Zarnuki | 2002-06-18 | 2015-06-13 | |||
| 00692 | Ali Bin Ali Aleh | 2002-06-18 | 2009-09-26 | ? | ||
| 00693 | 2002-06-18 | 2006-06-10 | died in custody | |||
| 00728 | Jamil Ahmed Said Nassir | 2002-08-05 | 2016-08-15 | |||
| 00836 | 2002-10-28 | 2016-08-15 | ||||
| 00837 | 2002-10-28 | 2016-08-15 | ||||
| 00838 | 2002-10-28 | 2016-12-04 | transferred to Cape Verde. | |||
| 00839 | 2002-10-28 | 2017-01-16 | ||||
| 00840 | 2002-10-28 | 2017-01-16 | ||||
| 00841 | 2002-10-28 | ? | ||||
| 01014 | Walid Mohammed Shahir | 2003-05-09 | 2004-03-31 | ? | ||
| 01015 | Hussein Salem Mohammed | 2003-05-09 | 2014-11-20 | ? | ||
| 01017 | Omar Mohammed Ali Al Rammah | 2003-05-09 | ? | |||
| 01453 | Sanad Ali Yislam Al-Kazimi | 2004-09-20 | ? | |||
| 01456 | 2004-09-20 | ? | ||||
| 01457 | 2004-09-20 | ? | ||||
| 01463 | 2004-09-20 | ? | ||||
| 10013 | 2006-09-05 | ? | ||||
| 10014 | 2006-09-05 | ? |