Sameur Abdenour

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Sameur Abdenour is a citizen of Algeria, held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camps, in Cuba.^[1] Abdenour's Guantanamo detainee ID number is 659. The Department of Defense reports that he was born on March 28, 1973, in Algiers, Algeria.

1 Combatant Status Review Tribunal
2 Administrative Review Board hearing
- 2.1 Factors for and against continued detention
3 References

[edit] Combatant Status Review Tribunal

Combatant Status Review Tribunals were held in a small trailer, the same width, but shorter, than a mobile home. The Tribunal's President sat in the big chair. The detainee sat with their hands and feet shackled to a bolt in the floor in the white, plastic garden chair. A one way mirror behind the Tribunal President allowed observers to observe clandestinely. In theory the open sessions of the Tribunals were open to the press. Three chairs were reserved for them. In practice the Tribunal only intermittently told the press that Tribunals were being held. And when they did they kept the detainee's identities secret. In practice almost all Tribunals went unobserved.

Initially the Bush administration asserted that they could withhold all the protections of the Geneva Conventions to captives from the war on terror. This policy was challenged before the Judicial branch. Critics argued that the USA could not evade its obligation to conduct a competent tribunal to determine whether captives are, or are not, entitled to the protections of prisoner of war status.

Subsequently the Department of Defense instituted the Combatant Status Review Tribunals. The Tribunals, however, were not authorized to determine whether the captives were lawful combatants -- rather they were merely empowered to make a recommendation as to whether the captive had previously been correctly determined to match the Bush administration's definition of an enemy combatant.

Abdenour chose to participate in his Combatant Status Review Tribunal.^[2]

[edit] Administrative Review Board hearing

Detainees who were determined to have been properly classified as "enemy combatants" were scheduled to have their dossier reviewed at annual Administrative Review Board hearings. The Administrative Review Boards weren't authorized to review whether a detainee qualified for POW status, and they weren't authorized to review whether a detainee should have been classified as an "enemy combatant".

They were authorized to consider whether a detainee should continue to be detained by the United States, because they continued to pose a threat -- or whether they could safely be repatriated to the custody of their home country, or whether they could be set free.

Abdenour chose to participate in his Administrative Review Board hearing.^[3]

[edit] Factors for and against continued detention

The detainee fought in Bosnia in 1995.
The detainee traveled from Tunisia to the United Kingdom via Italy, passing through Rome, Naples, and Sicily.
In the summer of 2001, the detainee traveled to Jalalabad, Afghanistan where he stayed at an Algerian guesthouse.
The detainee traveled from London, United Kingdom to Islamabad, Pakistan and then was escorted to Jalalabad, Afghanistan.
The detainee volunteered to go see the Al Farouq camp. While visiting Al Farouq, attempts were made to recruit the detainee and other visitors.
Upon hearing that the Taliban were fleeing, detainee set out with about 150 others toward the mountains of the Afghanistan and Pakistan borders.
The detainee received weapons training during his time in the military.
While at the Algerian guesthouse the detainee was trained on small arms.
The detainee traveled to the United Kingdom. There he became involved with other Algerians.
While at the Finsbury Park Mosque, four individuals attempted to recruit the detainee to go to Afghanistan.
The detainee gave money to the Finsbury Park Mosque. He later found out that part of the money went to fund individuals going to Afghanistan and other areas of the world where jihad was being fought.
The detainee was eventually told that he "needed to go to Afghanistan".
The detainee socialized with four men at the Algerian house. Two died in the bombing of Afghanistan and two died at the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The detainee was intentionally deceptive during questioning.
The detainee has recounted the details of his travel from Algeria to Italy, including his purchase of a fake identification.
In 1992, the detainee served in the military. The detainee deserted the Algerian military.
The detainee deserted the Algerian military because of bad food and poor treatment. He also resented being sent to the front lines to fight mujahedin. He disliked fighting mujahedin.
The detainee acknowledged having been told that something would happend to the United States within one week of the September 11h attacks.
The detainee, at a later time, when asked to discuss his time at Al Farouq, stated it was "one of the lies". He had never been to Al Farouq.
The detainee is a strong supporter of the Al-Jibhat Al-Islamia Al-Inqatha, everywhere referred to as the Islamic Liberation Front (ILF). Though not a member himself, the detainee supports the group. He loves the ILF because of its opposition to the Algerian government, which is largely corrupt.
The detainee fled to cross the border into Pakistan, but was captured by the Pakistani Army.
As he and others were transported from the scene of arrest, there was a bus accident. The detainee escaped, but was recaptured.
The detainee denied ever having been to Bosnia. He admitted saying this in the past and that it was a lie.
The detainee does not like the Algerian government as it has become corrupt, with mafia style leadership.
The detainee left Algeria because he hated the country. He denied going to fight jihad and denied being a member of al Qaida.
The detainee knows nothing of Usama Bin Laden or any ties between ILF and the al Qaida and Taliban.
The detainee denies knowledge of any rumors of plans of future attacks on the United States or United States interests.
The detainee has stated that if the "United States is killing innocent civilians like we are told, that is not right, but if they are just fighting with the Taliban and other armed groups, I do not have a problem because I am not part of any of it.
The detainee does not feel that the United States is a threat to Islam as a religion, just to groups that use Islam as a reason to fight against the United States. He does not agree with using religion as a reason to fight because that is not what Islam is about.
The detainee was queried regarding any knowledge or planning of internal uprising at the Guantanamo Detention Facility, with negative results.