In the latest of a string of actions that favor violent criminals, President Joe Biden is releasing 11 terrorists now housed at the U.S. military prison in Guantánamo Bay, transferring the men to Oman, which borders Yemen, an international base of terrorism. The men are all from Yemen, and the move may incite more conflict in the Middle East, where Yemen is a base of terrorism in the region and around the world.
The Pentagon posted a news release about the release of the men, but did not feature it on its front page. No mention of it was made by Biden himself.
Since around 2001, after the Sept. 11 attack on New York and the Pentagon, the War on Terror resulted in the detaining of nearly 800 terrorists at Guantánamo. In 2023, Biden’s Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin notified Congress of his intent to “repatriate” the Yemeni detainees to Oman. The process to release the men to other countries that work to counter terrorism was created by executive order by President Barack Obama in 2011. Oman, although in the middle of the Islamic State terrorism zone, is one of those countries considered to be active in anti-terrorism.
“Today, 15 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay: 3 are eligible for transfer; 3 are eligible for a Periodic Review Board; 7 are involved in the military commissions process; and 2 detainees have been convicted and sentenced by military commissions,” the Pentagon said.
Guantánamo is located on the island of Cuba, where the United States Navy established a lease of 45 square acres in 1903, which is surrounded by fencing. The use of the prison there keeps international terrorists from becoming magnets for more terror in prisons on the mainland of the United States. The prison is, however, controversial and some say that indefinite detentions based on what some say are unfair trials are a violation of human rights.
Gitmo is the United States’ oldest overseas military installation and the only one in a communist country. It is an operational and logistics hub, supporting a variety of missions including maritime security, humanitarian assistance, and joint operations, the Navy says in a description, adding, “Its unique geographic location provides strategic advantages, enhancing U.S. defense capabilities in the region and serving as a critical forward operating base for various military and humanitarian activities.”
Last month, Biden pardoned, commuted sentences, and gave clemency to violent criminals on death row, and his own son, who was a drug abuser with tax evasion and firearms violations.
