Pentagon: Three Gitmo Detainees Transferred to the Country of Georgia

(Washington, D.C.)–Three Guantanamo Bay detainees have been transferred to the Country of Georgia, according to the Pentagon. 

On November 20, the Department of Defense announced the transfers of Salah Mohammed Salih Al-Dhabi, Abdel Ghaib Ahmad Hakim, and Abdul Khaled Al-Baydani. 

“As directed by the president’s Jan. 22, 2009, executive order, the interagency Guantanamo Review Task Force conducted a comprehensive review of this case. As a result of that review, which examined a number of factors, including security issues, these men were approved for transfer by consensus of the six departments and agencies comprising the task force,” says the Pentagon in a statement. 

“In accordance with statutory requirements, the secretary of defense informed Congress of the United States’ intent to transfer these individuals and of his determination that this transfer meets the statutory standard,” mentions the statement, later adding, “The United States coordinated with the Government of Georgia to ensure these transfers took place consistent with appropriate security and humane treatment measures.” 

Top Pentagon officials have acknowledged that some detainees released from Gitmo return to the battlefield. 

“We know that some of the detainees that have come out of Guantanamo have gone back to the fight, the battlefield. We’re aware of that and we think that overall the policy of getting to close Guantanamo is clearly in the interest of the United States, as the president has articulated,” said Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel last month.

“We believe that the recidivism is a relatively small fraction of those detainees which have been placed into conditions where the risk of recidivism is mitigated. But even one would not make someone wearing the uniform very content,” added the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey. 

Senior U.S. intelligence and defense officials told Fox News that to up to 30 former Guantanamo Bay detainees, some of whom were released by Obama, may have joined the Islamic State and other jihadist organizations in Syria, including Al Qaeda. 

There are now 143 detainees in Guantanamo Bay. 

President Obama promised to close the detention center upon taking office in 2009, but has met resistance from lawmakers.