The Pentagon says two Yemeni detainees held at the controversial US military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have been transferred to Ghana.
Mahmoud Omar Bin Atef and Khalid Al-Dhuby are suspected of participating in hostilities against U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan. Their lawyers have denied the accusations.
The Pentagon described Bin Atef in 2007 as “an admitted member of the Taliban.” But his U.S. lawyer, George Clark, said he was cleared for release in 2009.
“He’s a smart, bright young man and I’m sure he’ll be successful,” said Clarke. He added that Bin Atef’s priorities upon release would likely be getting married and starting a family, learning the local language, and finding employment.
Khalid al-Dhuby had also been approved for release since 2006.
The West African nation has not taken any Guantanamo prisoners before but Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Hanna Tetteh, said that the men have permission to stay for two years subject to security clearances.
Several other African countries have received Guantanamo detainees, including Uganda and Cape Verde.
“Many countries have already taken people in such situations so it’s not out of the ordinary,” Ghana’s Communications Minister Edward Boamah told Reuters.
The Guantanamo jail was set up after the September 11, 2001 attacks to detain what Washington called “enemy combatants”.
A total of 780 men have been held at Guantanamo since 2002, the US Navy Base now has 105 detainees, nearly 50 of whom have been cleared for release. US President Barack Obama has said he wants to close the jail down before he leaves office in 2017.
President Barack Obama, who campaigned on a pledge to close the prison, views it as a damaging symbol of detainee abuse and detention without charge that he inherited from Republican President George W. Bush.