Thaindian News

Washington, Jan 5(ANI): At least 11 former Guantanamo Bay inmates have reportedly rejoined terror organisation Al-Qaeda in its operation in Yemen amid growing concern over the ability of the country’s Government to accept almost 100 more former inmates from the detention centre.

According to reports, there are 91 Yemeni prisoners in Guantanamo, who make up the largest national contingent among the 198 being held.

The Obama administration is increasingly concerned that the country is becoming a hot-bed of terrorism.

“Obviously, we see global implications from the war in Yemen and the ongoing efforts by Al-Qaeda in Yemen to use it as a base for terrorist attacks far beyond the region,” The Times quoted Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, as saying.

The country’s mountainous terrain, poverty and lawless tribal society make it, in the opinion of many analysts, a close match for Afghanistan as a new terrorist haven.

When asked about the release of the remaining detainees, the spokesman for the Pentagon Geoff Morrell, said: “This is a large question that goes beyond the issue of transferring detainees. The bulk of the remaining detainees are from Yemen and that has been the case for a long time. We are trying to work with the Yemeni Government on this.”

The Saudi Government had previously boasted of a zero reoffence rate for Guantanamo detainees who were put through its widely praised rehabilitation programme for Al-Qaeda members.

Robert Lacey, who writes about Saudi Arabia and has made numerous visits to the Prince Mohammad bin Naif rehabilitation facility in Riyadh, said: “I know a number of young men from Guantánamo who were successfully reintegrated. The programme involves the whole family with a mixture of religious re-education, patriotism, guilt and co-opting in terms of being given a car, job and a nice wife.” (ANI)