JEDDAH, 17 March 2003 — Kateb Al-Shammary, a defense lawyer for several Saudis held at Guantanamo Bay, yesterday called upon US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to either free them or put them on trial.
“On behalf of their families, we urge you to release those detainees who are believed to have committed no crime or wrongful act and were only involved in relief, charity and humanitarian work,” he said in a memo submitted to the US Embassy in Riyadh. Rumsfeld may visit Saudi Arabia next week, diplomats say.
“If there are specific charges against them, we believe they should urgently have a fair trial,” added the memo.
Al-Shammary, who is also secretary-general of the Committee for the Defense of Guantanamo Detainees, called for the families of detainees, lawyers and the press to be allowed to visit the prisoners.
About 650 men from some 40 different countries including 127 Saudis are being held without trial at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Al-Shammary commended the recent statement by Pierre-Richard Prosper, US ambassador for war crimes, disclosing his country’s desire to release a number of Guantanamo prisoners.
