The Pentagon has transferred another detainee from the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, bringing the number of prisoners left to 113.
Peter Cook, the Pentagon’s press secretary, announced Thursday that Ahmed Ould Abdel Aziz was repatriated to Mauritania.
“The United States is grateful to the government of Mauritania for its willingness to support ongoing U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility,” Cook said in a statement. “The United States coordinated with the government of Mauritania to ensure this transfer took place consistent with appropriate security and humane treatment measures.”
Aziz was an al Qaeda member who may have participated in hostilities against U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan, according to documents posted by the New York Times. During his detention, he had reportedly expressed his “hatred of Americans and his intention to retaliate against the Pakistani government for their cooperation with the U.S. in capturing him.”
A review board at Gitmo recommended him for release in January 2010.
Aziz is the fourteenth prisoner to be transferred this year, the New York Times data showed.
As the president races to close the military detention facility before leaving office, officials are still looking for a stateside option to transfer prisoners who are deemed too dangerous to release.
A team recently wrapped up visits to three prisons of different security levels in Colorado to try to get information on the costs of transferring detainees to prisons in the U.S.
A Pentagon team has visited Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and the Navy brig in Charleston, S.C., for similar evaluations.
The administration is collecting this information to provide a plan to Congress to close the prison. While the plan was expected to be completed shortly after lawmakers’ August recess, officials said this week that it is still in progress.
