Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R., N.H.) released an unclassified Pentagon report on Wednesday detailing the extremist backgrounds of more than 100 detainees held or recently released from Guantanamo Bay military prison.
The report discloses information about suspected terrorists like Muhammad Abd al-Rahman Awn al-Shamrani, who was charged as a recruiter and fighter for al Qaeda and the Taliban in Saudi Arabia. He was transferred back to Saudi Arabia in January after being held at the U.S. military prison since 2002.
Karim Bostam, who was accused of leading an al Qaeda-associated explosives cell that targeted U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan, was also named in the report. Bostan arrived at Guantanamo more than 13 years ago and is currently awaiting transfer to a country that will accept him.
Ayotte said the remaining 76 detainees at Guantanamo "will no doubt" return to terrorist activities upon release. She said the Defense Department reported that as of late last year, 93 percent of the remaining Guantanamo detainees were at high risk of returning to terrorist activities.
The State Department last month announced that it had added a former Guantanamo Bay detainee to the federal list of designated terrorists.
Ayrat Nasimovich Vakhitov was held at Guantanamo for less than two years from June 2002 through February 2004 before he was turned over to Russian officials in his home country. Turkish authorities arrested Vakhitov last month in connection with the June 29 suicide bombings at Istanbul’s Ataturk airport that killed 42 people.
The Pentagon report marks the first comprehensive, unclassified compilation of documents intended for lawmakers and the public regarding Guantanamo.
Ayotte has been outspoken against President Obama’s vow to shutdown Guantanamo Bay by the end of his presidency.
In March, the Pentagon confirmed that former inmates from the military prison had killed Americans abroad. Ayotte called their deaths "the single most important reason" why Guantanmo must remain open.