Activist optimistic US will free five Kuwaiti detainees before Eid

Five out of 11 Kuwaiti detainees at the US Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are going to be conditionally released in nearly three weeks, a human rights activist said.

"I'm optimistic they will be released before Eid Al Fitr holidays as we are in contact with our ambassador in the United States and the Kuwaiti foreign ministry," Khalid Al Ouda, Head of the Society of Guantanamo Detainees' Families, told Gulf News.

Al Ouda said three lawyers of the detainees, Tom Welner, Neil Kosolo and Kristine Husky, started a visit to the detainees yesterday to be briefed on their health and psychiatric conditions.

"There are US security establishments — CIA, FBI and Immigration Department — which deal with this issue and make it complicated as none of them can decide whether one or more of the detainees are innocent," he added.

Al Ouda said in order to release one of the detainees, many reports from these establishments should be submitted to prove their innocence, which needs a lot of time and effort.

"About 300 detainees have been on hunger strike for a long time," said Al Ouda. "Reports say there are 200, but if we count those who start a hunger strike for a week and stop and those who only strike for a few days and stop, the number would be higher," he added.

Al Ouda pointed out the detainees are on hunger strike as they had lost hope in being treated humanely until they receive fair trials. He added they have even lost trust in their lawyers.

"Some 20 or 30 of the strikers are in hospital for treatment," said Al Ouda.

Earlier this week, the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Washington Shaikh Salem Abdullah Al Jaber Al Sabah, was quoted as saying by the state news agency, Kuna, that "The US administration will hand over five of the Kuwaiti detainees at Guantanamo camp to the Kuwaiti government soon."

Shaikh Salem, who did not provide a specific date for the repatriation, said the two countries were engaged in discussions over the mechanism for handing over the inmates who have been held without trial, often for years.

The United States has agreed to release the five inmates following concerted efforts by Kuwaiti leaders, including Prime Minister Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, the ambassador said.

After returning to Kuwait, the five detainees will be tried before a Kuwaiti court, he added.