List of Saudi detainees at Guantanamo Bay

A total of 134 Saudi citizens have been held in the United States' Guantanamo Bay detention camps at its naval base in Cuba since January 2002. Most had been swept up in Afghanistan following the US invasion in the fall of 2001, and they were classified by the US government as enemy combatants.

In addition, a United States citizen, Yaser Esam Hamdi, who was born in Louisiana but moved as a child with his parents to Saudi Arabia, where he also had citizenship, was initially held there. As an American citizen, he was transferred to a military prison brig on the mainland of the United States. His challenge to his detention, without being informed of charges or brought to trial, was a case that reached the United States Supreme Court. In Hamdi v. Rumsfeld (2004), the Supreme Court ruled that detainees who are U.S. citizens must have the rights of due process, and the ability to challenge their enemy combatant status before an impartial authority. After this decision, the government made a deal with Hamdi. After he agreed to renounce his US citizenship and observe travel restrictions, in October 2004 Hamdi was deported to Saudi Arabia. He has returned to his family.

Following the deaths of two Saudi citizens in custody on June 10, 2006, and another on May 30, 2007, which the Department of Defense claimed were due to suicides, the Saudi government put pressure on the United States to release its citizens. Nearly 100 were returned to Saudi Arabia from June 2006 through 2007.[citation needed]

Two Saudi citizens are believed to still be held at the detention camp as of January 2024.

History

Yaser Esam Hamdi, a former US citizen from Saudi Arabia at the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp in April 2002

In January 2002, the United States completed the first phase of construction of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp at its naval base in Cuba. It was designed to hold enemy combatants captured in its war on terror - most taken during action in Afghanistan beginning in the fall of 2001. In total, the US has held 133 Saudi Arabian citizens at Guantanamo. The United States has held a total of 778 detainees in the Guantanamo Bay detention camps at its naval base in Cuba since the camps opened on January 11, 2002. The camp population peaked in 2004 at approximately 660. As of December 2023, 30 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay.

Three Saudis: Yasser Talal Al Zahrani, Mani Shaman Turki al-Habardi Al-Utaybi and Abdul Rahman al-Amri, died at Guantanamo in 2006 and 2007 during their detention. All were announced by the United States Department of Defense (DOD) as suicides.

The first two were among three men who died on June 10, 2006; the circumstances of their deaths have been strongly questioned by numerous sources, including the Saudi government and the men's families. Journalists and the Center for Policy and Research in its 2009 report have noted glaring inconsistencies in the NCIS report of 2008. Based on an account by four former guards at Guantanamo, Scott Horton suggested in 2010 that the men died as a result of torture and government agencies tried to cover this up. Al-Amri died on May 30, 2007, an apparent suicide, according to the United States DOD.

As a result of these deaths, the Saudi government strongly pressured the United States to repatriate its citizens. It developed a reintegration program for former detainees and has worked with them on religious re-education, and reintegrating them into society by arranging for marriages and jobs. From June 2006 and December 2007, a total of 93 Saudi citizens were returned to the country. As of today, two Saudi citizens are still held at the detention camp.

Saudi citizens held in Guantanamo

release
date
isn name notes
2007-12-29 00005 Abdul Aziz Al Matrafi
2007-07-16 00013 Fahed Nasser Mohamed
  • Reports being tortured in custody.
  • Reports being sold for a bounty.
  • Repatriated on July 16, 2007, with fifteen other men.
2007-02-20 00025 Majeed Abdullah Al Joudi
  • Defense Department's April 7, 2009, analysis of Guantanamo recidivists lists Joudi as a "confirmed" recidivist.||
2015-09-21 00042 Abdul Rahman Shalabi
  • On hunger strike for more than five years. Reportedly suffering health problems caused by the hunger strike. Shalabi has been force fed for many years by means of strapping him forcefully into a restraint chair and pumping liquid nutrients through his nose into his stomach. Shalabi said after enduring this procedure for over four years, it causes him extreme pain and he feels as if he is treated like an animal.
Held 00049 Assem Matruq Mohammad Al Aasmi
2007-09-05 00051 Majid Al Barayan
2007-07-15 00053 Saud Dakhil Allah Muslih Al Mahayawi
2006-12-13 00055 Muhammed Yahia Mosin Al Zayla
2006-06-24 00058 Musa Abed Al Wahab
2007-11-09 00059 Sultan Ahmed Dirdeer Musa Al Uwaydha
2007-07-15 00062 Muhamad Naji Subhi Al Juhani
  • Described as having "no ties to militancy whatsoever".
2022-03-06 00063 Mohammed al-Qahtani
2006-05-18 00064 Abdel Hadi Mohammed Badan Al Sebaii Sebaii
  • Allegedly built mosques in Bosnia.
  • Claims he was sold, for a bounty.[citation needed]
2007-07-15 00066 Yahya Samil Al Suwaymil Al Sulami
  • Described as having "no ties to militancy whatsoever".
2007-11-09 00068 Khalid Saud Abd Al Rahman Al Bawardi
2003-05-14 00071 Mish'al Muhammad Rashid Al-Shedocky
  • Released prior to the institution of the Combatant Status Review Tribunals in July 2004.
  • One of 11 former Guantanamo detainees listed on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's most wanted list in February 2009
  • In 2014, AQAP indicated in a three-part documentary about the group's former deputy leader Said Ali al-Shihri's life and death that al-Shedocky was dead by having the phrase "May Allah accept him" posted next to his name. The phrase is reserved for jihadists who have been killed in battle. The group did not provide any details on al-Shedocky's death.
2006-06-24 00073 Yusif Khalil Abdallah Nur
2007-12-28 00074 Mesh Arsad Al Rashid
  • Repatriated on December 2, 2007, with nine other men.
2007-09-05 00079 Fahed Al Harazi
2003-05-14 00080 Fahd Abdallah Ibrahim Al-Shabani
Died in custody 00093 Yasser Talal Al Zahrani
  • US government withheld body parts needed for independent post mortem.
2006-05-18 00094 Ibrahim Daif Allah Neman Al Sehli
  • Released May 19, 2006.
2006-05-18 00095 Abdul Rahman Ahmed Uthman
2006-06-24 00096 Muhammad Surur Dakhilallah Al Utaybi
2006-05-18 00105 Adnan Muhammed Ali Al Saigh
  • One of 11 former Guantanamo detainees listed on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's most wanted list in February 2009
  • Turned himself in to Saudi authorities July 2012
  • author of "The Fight over the Mountains" for Inspire magazine, Summer 2010 issue.
2006-12-13 00109 Yusef Abdullah Saleh Al Rabiesh
2007-09-05 00112 Abdul Aziz Saad Al Khaldi
2007-11-09 00114 Yussef Mohammed Mubarak Al Shihri
  • 14 years old when captured.
  • Killed in a shootout with Saudi security forces along the Saudi border with Yemen in October 2009.
  • When killed, Yousef al Shihri was dressed as a woman
  • Shihri's female garments concealed a suicide explosives belt
2006-12-13 00121 Salman Saad Al Khadi Mohammed
  • Released with thirteen other men on November 12, 2007.
2007-07-15 00122 Bijad Thif Allah Al Atabi
2003-05-14 00125 Fawaz Abd Al Aziz Al Zahrani
  • Repatriated on May 15, 2003, and then convicted of leaving Saudi Arabia without getting prior permission.
2007-09-05 00126 Salam Abdullah Said
2003-05-14 00127 Ibrahim Rushdan Brayk Al Shili
2007-11-09 00130 Faha Sultan
2006-06-24 00132 Abdul Salam Gaithan Mureef Al Shehry
  • 17 years old when captured.
2007-07-15 00154 Mazin Salih Musaid Al Awfi
  • Repatriated on July 16, 2007, with fifteen other men.
2005-07-19 00155 Khalid Sulaymanjaydh Al Hubayshi
2006/05/19 00157 Saed Khatem Al Malki
  • Repatriated May 19, 2006.
2007-02-20 00158

Majid Abdallah Husayn Muhammad Al Samluli Al Harbi

2007-09-28 00172 Ali Muhammed Nasir Mohammed
2007-02-20 00176 Majid Aydha Muhammad Al Qurayshi
2006-05-18 00177 Fahd Salih Sulayman Al Jutayli
  • Was a minor when captured.[citation needed]
  • Reportedly killed in a shootout between the Yemeni Army and Houthi rebels in 2009
2007-07-15 00179 Abdul Rahman Owaid Mohammad Al Juaid
  • Repatriated on July 16, 2007, with fifteen other men.
  • Described as having "no ties to militancy whatsoever".
2005-11-04 00181 Maji Afas Radhi Al Shimri
2007-07-15 00182 Bandar Ahmad Mubarak Al Jabri
  • Repatriated on July 16, 2007, with fifteen other men.
2006-06-24 00184 Othman Ahmed Othman Al Omairah
  • Following his transfer, reportedly became an operational commander for al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula
2007-11-09 00185 Turki Mash Awi Zayid Al Asiri
  • Allegedly fled from the American aerial bombardment of Afghanistan.
  • One of 11 former Guantanamo detainees listed on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's most wanted list in February 2009
2007-02-20 00186 Rashed Awad Khalaf Balkhair
2007-11-09 00187 Murtadha Al Said Makram
  • One of 11 former Guantanamo detainees listed on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's most wanted list in February 2009
2006-12-13 00188 Jabir Jubran Al Fayfi
  • One of 11 former Guantanamo detainees listed on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's most wanted list in February 2009
2006-06-24 00191 Saleh Ali Jaid Al Khathami
2006-12-13 00192 Ibrahimj Sulayman Muhammad Arbaysh
  • Repatriated on December 14, 2006.
  • Following Repatriation, reportedly became al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula's chief theologian and ideologue, responsible for justifying terrorism on religious grounds
2016-01-11 00195 Mohammad Al Rahman Al Shumrani
2007-09-05 00196 Musa Ali Said Al Said Al Amari
Died in custody 00199 Abdul Rahman Ma Ath Thafir Al Amri
Held 00200 Said Muhammad Husayn Qahtani
2007-07-15 00204 Said Ibrahim Ramzi Al Zahrani
2006-12-13 00206 Abdullah Muahammed Abdel Aziz
2005-07-19 00207 Mishal Awad Sayaf Alhabiri
  • Suffered serious brain damage in Guantanamo.[citation needed]
  • Alleged serious beatings in Guantanamo.[citation needed]
2007-07-15 00214 Muhammad Abd Al Rahman Al Kurash
2007-11-09 00215 Fahd Umr Abd Al Majid Al Sharif
2007-12-28 00216 Jamil Ali Al Kabi
2007-09-05 00218 Fahd Muhammed Abdullah Al Fouzan in extrajudicial detention in Guantanamo Bay detainment camp because he attended an "Abu Nasir military camp".
2006-12-13 00226 Anwar Al Nurr
2007-07-15 00230 Humud Dakhil Humud Sa'id Al-Jad'an
  • Claims he was sold for a bounty.[citation needed]
  • Repatriated on July 16, 2007, with fifteen other men.
  • Listed in the DoD's April 2009 recidivism analysis as a "suspected" recidivist.
2007-09-05 00231 Abdulhadi Abdallah Ibrahim al Sharakh
  • There is no record this captive participated in his Combatant Status Review Tribunal.
  • Included in the DoD's April 2009 analysis as a "suspected" recidivist due to his September 2008 arrest "for association with terrorist members" and "supporting terrorism."
2007-07-15 00234 Khalid Mohammed Al Zaharni
2015-10-30 00239 Shaker Aamer
  • Alleges abuse.
  • Mental health at risk.
Held 00240 Abdullah Yahia Yousf Al Shabli
2007-12-28 00243 Abdullah Ali Al Utaybi
2006-12-13 00245 Al Silm Haji Hajjaj Awwad Al Hajjaji
2005-07-19 00248 Saleh Abdall Al Oshan
  • Determined not to have been an enemy combatant.[citation needed]
2007-11-09 00258 Nayif Abdallah Ibrahim Ibrahim
2007-07-15 00261 Juma Mohammed Abdul Latif Al Dosari
  • Allegedly delivered a fiery speech in Buffalo NY that was attended by members of the Lackawanna Six.
  • Says he has been tortured, and has made over a dozen suicide attempts.[citation needed]
  • Joint citizen of both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
2007-11-09 00262 Abdullah Abd Al Mu'in Al Wafti
2006-06-24 00264 Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman Abdul Aziz Al Baddah
2006-06-24 00265 Tariqe Shallah Hassan Al Harbi
2006-06-24 00266 Abdallah Muhammad Salih Al Ghanimi
2007-12-28 00268 Abdul Rahman Nashi Badi Al Hataybi
2006-06-24 00271 Ibrahim Muhammed Ibrahim Al Nasir
2007-12-28 00272 Zaid Binsallah Mohammed Il Bhawith
  • Repatriated on December 2, 2007, with nine other men.
2006-12-13 00273 Abd Al Aziz Muhammad Ibrahim Al Nasir
2007-09-05 00274 Bader Al Bakri Al Samiri
2006-12-13 00286 Ziad Said Farg Jahdari
  • Repatriated on December 14, 2006.
2005-09-30 00287 Sami Abdul Aziz Salim Allaithy
  • Alleges a guard jumped on his spine putting him in a wheel chair.
  • Determined not to have been an enemy combatant.
2006-05-18 00308 Adil Uqla Hassan Al Nusayri
  • Claims he was captured by the Taliban, who sold him to bounty hunters, who in turn sold him to the Americans.[citation needed]
  • Repatriated on December 14, 2006.
2007-09-05 00318 Rami Bin Said Al Taibi
2006-05-18 00319 Mohammed Jayed Sebai
  • Repatriated together with fourteen other men on May 19, 2006.
2007-09-05 00322 Khalid Hassan Husayn Al Barakat
2010-o9-16 00331 Ohmed Ahmed Mahamoud Al Shurfa
2007-07-15 00332 Abdullah Al Tayabi
  • Repatriated on July 16, 2007, with fifteen other men.
2007-11-09 00333 Mohamed Atiq Awayd Al Harbi
  • After transfer from Guantanamo Bay, became a leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • One of 11 former Guantanamo detainees listed on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's most wanted list in February 2009 He surrendered to Saudi authorities that same month.
2009-06-12 00335 Kahlid Saad Mohammed
  • Allegedly injured by the American aerial bombardment of Afghanistan, 2001, while distributing humanitarian aid to refugees.[citation needed]
2006-12-13 00336 Majed Hamad Al Frih
2006-06-24 00337 Sa ad Ibraham Sa ad Al Bidna
2006-06-24 00338 Wasim
aka
Wasm Awwad Omar Al-Wasm
  • His habeas corpus was "administrative closed" on January 31, 2007.
2006-05-18 00339 Khalid Abdallah Abdel Rahman Al Morghi
2006-12-13 00340 Bessam Muhammed Saleh Al Dubaikey
  • Claims that a head injury left him with mental problems.[citation needed]
2006-12-13 00341 Said Ali Al Farha
2007-09-05 00342 Mohammed Mubarek Salah Al Qurbi
2006-05-18 00343 Abdallah Ibrahim Al Rushaydan
2006-06-24 00344 Rashid Abdul Mosleh Qayed
2006-05-18 00346 Said Bezan Ashek Shayban
2007-09-05 00368 Amran Baqur Mohammed Hawsawi
  • Was injured during the American aerial bombardment of Afghanistan, 2001.[citation needed]
2007-07-15 00370 Abd Al Hizani
2007-11-09 00372 Sa Id Ali Jabir Al Khathim Al Shihri
  • Was the #2 in al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula
  • Reportedly responsible for the attack on Flight 253 on Christmas Day 2009
  • May have been involved in al-Qieda's attack on the American embassy in Sanaa in September 2008
  • One of 11 former Guantanamo detainees listed on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's most wanted list in February 2009
  • Killed in a drone strike in Yemen in 2013.
2007-12-28 00436 Nayif Fahd Mutliq Al Usaymi
2007-02-20 00437 Faizal Saha Al Nasir
2007-11-09 00438 Hani Saiid Mohammad Al Khalif
2007-12-28 00439 Khalid Malu Shia Al Ghatani
  • Was a minor when captured.
2017-01-05 00440 Mohammed Ali Abdullah Bwazir
2007-09-05 00493 Abdul Hakim Bukhary
  • Passed straight from detention in a Taliban prison to detention in an American prison.[citation needed]
  • A Saudi named Abdel-Hakee Abdel-Karim Ameen Bukhari was repatriated on September 16, 2007.
2006-05-18 00501 Nawwaf Fahd Humood Al-Otaibi
  • Repatriated together with fourteen other men on May 19, 2006.
2006-05-18 00505 Khalid Rashd Ali Al Muri
2006-12-13 00507 Sultan Sari Sayel Al Anazi
  • Claimed he was sold for a bounty.[citation needed]
2006-12-13 00513 Abdul Rahman Mohammed Hussein Khowlanpp
2007-09-05 00514 Abdallah Faris Al Unazi Thani
2007-07-15 00516 Ghanim Abdul Rahman Al Harbi
  • Repatriated to Saudi custody, with fifteen other men, on July 16, 2007.
2007-02-20 00536 Mohamed Abdullah Al Harbi
  • Released with thirteen other men on November 12, 2007.
Held 00553 Abdul Khaled Ahmed Sahleh Al Bedani
2007-12-28 00565 Abdul Hakim Abdul Rahman Abdulaziz Al Mousa
Held 00566 Mansoor Muhammed Ali Qattaa
2007-07-16 00570 Sabri Mohammed Ebrahim Al Qurashi
Held 00572 Slah Muhamed Salih Al Zabe
2003-05-14 00585 Ibrahim Umar Ali Al Umar
Died in custody 00588 Mana Shaman Allabardi Al Tabi
  • Seventeen years old when captured.
  • Was on a hunger strike for over nine months, before his death was reported on June 10, 2006.[citation needed]
2007-09-05 00647 Zaban Thaaher Zaban Al Shamaree
2007-11-09 00650 Jabir Hasan Muhamed Al Qahtani
2006-05-18 00652 Abdullah Hamid Al Qahtani
  • Repatriated together with fourteen other men on May 19, 2006.
2006-05-18 00664 Rashid Awad Rashid Al Uwaydah
  • Repatriated together with fourteen other men on May 19, 2006.
2009-06-12 00669 Ahmed Zaid Salim Zuhair
  • Repatriated on June 12, 2009, with two other men.
Held 00682 Ghassan Abdallah Ghazi Al Shirbi
2009-06-12 00687 Abdalaziz Kareem Salim Al Noofayaee
  • Repatriated on June 12, 2009, with two other men.
2017-01-18 00696 Jabran Said Wazar Al Qahtani
2014-11-22 00713 Muhammed Murdi Issa Al Zahrani
2018-05-02 00768 Ahmed Muhammed Haza Al Darbi
Held 00893 Tolfiq Nassar Ahmed Al Bihani
Held 01456 Hassan Mohammed Salih Bin Attash
  • Human rights groups report he was kept in "the dark prison".
  • Was a minor when captured.
  • Human rights groups suggest he was captured just because his older brother was a member of al Qaeda.[citation needed]

Saudi rehabilitation

A July 26, 2007, article from Asharq Alawsat described the Care Rehabilitation Center repatriated detainees are held in until they are finally released. According to the article the detainees received special meals, had access to satellite TV, and were able to get day passes.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown visited the facility on November 2, 2008, and spoke with several former Guantanamo detainees.


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