RIYADH, 26 May 2003 — The United States will release more Saudi prisoners from its naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Saudi lawyers said yesterday, amid press reports the number to be freed will top 80.
A team of lawyers met yesterday with US Ambassador Robert Jordan, who informed them that more prisoners would be released, the head of the team, Ahmad Mazhar, said.
Mazhar quoted Jordan as telling the team the intention is to hand over to the authorities detainees whose presence in Guantanamo is no longer necessary. However, the ambassador gave no details about the number to be released or when.
Okaz newspaper yesterday quoted unnamed sources as saying about 80 Saudi prisoners would be handed over to authorities here by the United States. It added that those prisoners would be interrogated and referred to courts. The paper said the release is based on a new Saudi-US agreement.
Five prisoners at Guantanamo were handed over to Saudi authorities on May 15 following efforts to repatriate detained Saudi citizens. Around 129 Saudis are among 650 prisoners from the Afghan war detained in Guantanamo who have been neither charged nor tried.
