Four Gitmo Detainees Transferred to Europe

The Department of Justice announced today that four more detainees from Guantanamo Bay have been transferred: one to Hungary, one to France, and two to Italy.

The detainee headed for Hungary is identified only as being “from the West Bank.” The Justice Department said that the government of Hungary wanted his identity withheld for security and privacy purposes.

The detainee transferred to France is Sabir Lahmar, a native of Algeria. In November 2008 Lahmar won his petition for habeas corpus in a federal court, which ruled that he could no longer be lawfully detained and ordered the government to arrange for his release.

The two detainees transferred to Italy are Abel Ben Mabrouk bin Hamida Boughanmi and Mohammed Tahir Riyadh Nasseri, both of Tunisia. Both were cleared for release by the government’s Guantanamo Review Task Force.  Both are the subject of outstanding arrest warrants in Italy, where they will be prosecuted.

Approximately 210 detainees still remain at the U.S.-run detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.